Understand your power
by Alcanax
Summary: Ulquiorra cut off his left horn, but Ichigo didn't lose his hollow power. What will he lose instead? Will he be able to defeat Aizen, or will he have to search for an other power, in an other country? Will he have a choice? Rated M for violence. Spoiler warning; take place at chapter 388 for Bleach, and after the 4th book for HP
1. Prologue

Hello everyone, Alcanax speaking.

First of all, I'd like to warn you about one thing: it's my first fanfiction, and first crossover.

Secondly; It's a crossover Bleach/HP, to be able to fully understand everything, I highly recommand having read Bleach up to chapter 388, and HP up to the fourth book.

Of course, I do not own, in any way, Bleach and Harry Potter.

Thirdly; Last time I checked, I was still human, so I'm perfectly conscious that I'm not perfect. If mistakes are done, I beg your forgivness, and your help to correct them as fast as possible.

And at last; R&R, and enjoy!

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Prologue

Ichigo was losing his fight with Ulquiorra Schiffer, Quarta Espada, fourth strongest warrior in Aizen's army. At first, when Ichigo put his hollow mask, when he still was inside the dome of Las Noches, he thought he would have a chance, he even saw Ulquiorra zanpakuto, Murcielago, shatter under the edge of Tensa Zangetsu. And then, _Resurreción. _Even his strongest attack, a full powered Getsuga Tensho, hitting Ulquiorra straight in the face, didn't leave a mark. Ichigo's hollow mask broke under a cero, nearly killing him. And if the obvious difference in strength wasn't enough, his opponent, to clearly show how useless and pointless fighting was, the Quarta Espada released his _Segunda Etapa_. The two last things Ichigo knew was Inoue's and Ishida's reiatsu appearing on the roof and a pitch black cero piercing through his chest.

He got his power to protect his family.

He nearly turned into a hollow to get them back in order to save a friend.

He threw away his humanity to get strong enough to defeat a new threat.

But,

He became feared because of his power.

At the end he couldn't even protect anyone.

Mask fragments fell out of his face, travelling downwards right before his eyes. Ichigo was now standing. He has no idea how he get on his feet. He was pretty sure the hole in his chest would have been fatal, but he didn't feel pain, he didn't feel dead, instead raw power runs in his vein. He didn't know where he was, or what happened, but it didn't matter. He felt like when he was fighting Abarai Renji for the first time: unbeatable.

A faint movement caught his eyes, and turning his head, he could do nothing else than gasp in horror at the scene before him. Ichigo didn't know which sight terrified him the most. Orihime was staring at him with wide teary eyes, trembling like a leaf. She takes a little step back as he set his eyes on her, and tears begin to flow freely on her cheeks. Behind her, leaned against some rumble; the quincy Ishida Uryuu. His left hand was missing and his right's was gripping tightly around a nodachy as black as the night whose blade was stabbed in his stomach. Anger and pain were clearly visible in his eyes as he was glaring at the sword's owner. And directly a the left, Ichigo notice Ulquiorra, an entire arm, a horn, and a wing missing, barely standing on a slightly shaking right leg, his left leg looked more like a dry rotten branch than an actual limb. And now, his usually emotionless eyes show only untold surprise.

Right before he used sonido, his face re-transformed, emotionless again, however in his eyes, Ichigo saw that he came to a decision. He landed right before Ishida and without a second thought tore away Tensa Zangetsu from his stomach. But before he could turn around a strong hand grasped his only wrist. As the bones began to crack, Ulquiorra closed his eyes, one way or the other, for him, everything will take the last step.

As soon that the espada's intentions were clear, Ichigo launched himself forward in order to retrieve his weapon. Little did he care when long strands of bright orange hair got into his face as the wind was making them dance around his head. And when he began to speak, the tone of his voice; double layered not unlike his hollow self but lower pitched, was of no importance.

"**I've sworn to protect everyone with this sword**. **GIVE IT BACK!**"

Ichigo didn't wait for Ulquiorra reaction before sending a powerful kick into his rib cage, feeling with some satisfaction several bones shatter like glass below his fist. His opponent lands several feet away, now missing his right forearm too.

"Soten kisshun, I reject!"

Ichigo turn around just in time to see two sparks, two fairies went past him. Inoue has fallen on her knees, and closed her eyes. She didn't even try not to cry anymore. Letting go of the espada limb still in his hand, Ichigo gripped the hilt of Tenza Zangetsu. He suddenly realized, he felt guilt in his guts, and a stab in his heart, seeing his friend crying before him, because of him. But now, nothing can be changed, and she was now safe and free.

He turned his head and made himself ready to go. He couldn't bear the sight anymore. And then without a sound he was gone, leaving a half-dead espada, an unconscious and bleeding Quincy, and a crying, mentally broken human girl.

Ulquiorra Shiffer has witness many things during his life. He was born as a Hollow, unable to do anything but seeing and walking. He had become an arrancar, a natural arrancar, without the help of Aizen Sōsuke. And the shinigami offered him the rank of the fourth espada in his army. Always he had used his eyes, to see, to show. For him, what he didn't see, didn't exist, until now. He had fought the substitute shinigami, and annihilates his heart with his Cero Oscuras. Kurosaki should have died, but he got up, transformed in some sort of hollow and managed somehow to effortlessly defeat the espada. But the weirdest part began when this monster lost a horn. His mask crumbled, only leaving a small part on his right eyes and forehead, his right horn still present and sharp. He didn't lose his red tattoos but his skin got some of his previous colour back, and most importantly his mind seems have returned. If Ulquiorra didn't know better he could have sworn being in front of one of his brother, an arrancar. And then, he took his Zanpakuto just before leaving. A part of his hair became white and transformed into some clouds, few seconds later, the hollow hole was gone. And the fourth Espada sunk into blackness.

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So, end of prologue!

As you probably already have guessed this story begin at the end of the fight Ichigo/Ulquiorra (Chapter 353 page 9), with of course an alternate ending in which our dear reprensentative shinigami keeps a part of his hollow power.

What will be the reaction of the Gotei? What will be his reaction towards his hollow self and zangetsu?

Answers will come soon!


	2. Protect

Protect

Yammi, Ichigo has sensed his resurrection, his power resonating with his. He knew Yammi's power was great, greater than Grimmjow's or maybe even Ulquiorra's first release's. His opponent were Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia, two lieutenant class shinigami, and Yasutora Sado whose power may have grown up to a lieutenant shinigami. But judging by their reiatsu level, only Rukia was still conscious, though barely. The two other were not dead, but badly wounded, and clearly unable to fight.

As Ichigo went through a gigantic hole in the roof of Las Noches, he saw him; Yammi. His resurrection looked like a huge Elephant with six legs, a big tail, and the torso remain mostly human, except for his lower jaw which has merged with his mask and two bonelike towers coming from his elbows. He was holding Rukia in his right hand. The petite shinigami looked even smaller in the hand of this giant.

After a failed attack coming from the shinigami, the now zero Espada launch mercilessly the petite soul reaper at the ground. Reishi gather around Ichigo's leg, solidifying the air and the propelling him forward. Due to the speed, the side of his vision blurred, only Rukya remained clear. Ichigo had to create a minor reishi shield around his body to prevent the remaining half of his shihakusho to be torn away by the air velocity. Half-way her fall, Ichigo caught the noble shinigami under his arm, and use the remaining height to slow them. An abrupt stop could've hurt Rukia.

They landed nearly smoothly on the ground. Judging by the look on her face, and her disturbed reiatsu, Rukia was still coucious, but didn't understand what just happened and was still a bit shocked. As was Yammi. Ichigo didn't need any other opening.

"Ichigo" muttered a disbelieving Rukia

Without answering, Ichigo jumped in the air, stopping before Yammi's face and swung his sword, releasing his strongest attack. An entirely black, crescent moon shaped, mass of reiatsu hit the zero Espada right across his face, before he even had the time to register that Ichigo was way faster than he could hope to be, faster than his eyes could follow. The vizard knew he didn't even have the need to check it; Yammi fell on the ground, a cloud of sand emerging from the fall of his lifeless body. The Espada changed back to his pre-resurrection form, although he was now hidden from sight, Ichigo could feel it. If the arrancar wasn't dead, he won't be able to fight any time soon. The vizard turned around, and land before Rukia. He knew that she couldn't follow his movement but somehow she didn't react as he appeared right in front of her. She was surely still frozen by the shock.

"**Are you alright, Rukia?**"

She didn't answer, only staring at Ichigo's face, incomprehension in her eyes.

"Ichigo, what…?" Her voice died in her throat.

"**Don't worry, Rukia, everything will be alright, Inoue and Ishida are up there, still alive. I'll take care of everything from here.**"

"Ichigo…"

Suddenly the shinigami was on her feet and her sword was pointed at Ichigo's throat. Reflexively the vizard took a defensive stance.

"What are you?"

Her voice was shaking nearly as much as her hands. This time, it was the turn of Ichigo to be surprised. He just had the time to turn around and side stepped Kuchiki Byakuya. Two white reiatsu wings were coming from his back and white reiatsu was warped around his blade. The "Hakutei ken". Again, without uttering a single word, without waiting a single second, the six division's captain turned and tried to stab Ichigo. Not understanding, but knowing the strength and deadliness of the attack, Ichigo lifted Tenza Zangetzo in order to parry the white imperial sword. The black blade cut right through the white one, and continued his way. Had Ichigo not been so fast to redirect his swing, the noble's arm would have been severed. Instead Byakuya fell on his knees, clutching on his bloody shoulder now unable to fight.

"**What the…**?"

Ichigo didn't have the time to finish his sentence as he had to avoid losing his arm due to the mad creepy Gotei's scientist's blade. Not far away, another mad man, Zaraki Kenpachi, 11 division's captain was charging him, laughing the way he's used to do. Surrounded by three captain class shinigami, clearly after his blood, each of them mad in their special way, Ichigo had no other choice than to flee. Kenpachi tried to follow him some time, just running but rapidly grow bored and stop, but Mayuri was another thing. Right before exiting Las Noches Ichigo had to turn around sending a barrage of Getsuga Tensho before knocking him out cold with one hit in the stomach using the hilt of his zanpakuto. At first Ichigo didn't expect to get near enough, knowing his opponent was a captain, to actually land a hit before Mayuri could react.

He stood several seconds above the now motionless captain, wondering. This man was not only as mad as his predecessor, Kisuke Urahara, he was also a psychopath and a sadistic. Performing weird experiments -such an understatement- , according to Ishida's word, on not only his enemies but also his own subordinates.

Who would sincerely blame him, if the scientist happened to have an… accident? After all, Ichigo could even summon the self-defence argument! And damn it, without anything left of the captain's body, how will anyone know?

Ichigo lifted his bankai's blade above his head, holding it with one hand, preparing a Getsuga tensho. This time he knew no need to make a huge, useless show. His bankai condensates, compresses all his reiatsu allowing him great speed, agility, and strength. He didn't use some freakily tall snake or tones of flower petal, just his blade, Tensa Zangetsu, which begin to feel heavy in his hand as he poured more and more reiatsu in his weapon. There is no visible change, neither around the blade, nor above it, nothing, not a single warning about the power Ichigo was about to release.

An entire section of the outside wall of Las Noches blew outwards. Tons of rocks flew above the desert, landing several hundred meters away. Cracks appeared on the whole dome and part of the already damaged roof began to crumble. And the crescent form of the Getsuga continues his travel across the desert digging a deep canyon in the sand. From the centre of the explosion came the lonely figure of Kurosaki Ichigo. He was half running, half flash-stepping trying to put as much distance as he can between himself and Aizen's palace. A few minutes later, and several kilometers away, he stopped on top of a dune. He didn't have to wait much longer before hearing the characteristic buzzing sound of flash step behind him.

"**So you managed to follow me**" Ichigo stated "**Will you also try to kill me?**"

Looking above his shoulder Ichigo saw his follower. Standing a few meters behind him, arms casually hanging at her side, staring at him with suspicious eyes, the usually caring captain of the fourth division, Unohana Retsu.

* * *

Three out of four captain who were sent to Hueco Mundo tried to kill Ichigo, what would do the fourth?

In the prologue I mostly just rewrite and summarise the fight between the fourth Espada and Ichigo, so this is the end of the first "real" chapter.

So as always, review as welcomed. I know I still have a lot to learn about the art of writing, so any comments (positive or even negative) would only help me to give you, and everyone else, a better story.


	3. Whatever it takes

Whatever it takes

In the emptiness of Hueco Mundo two figures stood motionless on a dune. They both looked human which was quite rare in this desert. One of them was wearing a white haori with the kanji "four" written in the back. She had her zanpakuto still in her scabbard, strapped in her back. Her long black hair was tied in a braid in front of her and her calm blue eyes was staring at the other figure. The other has his pant of shihakusho was half torn, and he has only one sleeve left of a black coat. His black zanpakuto was already drown but he doesn't have any scabbard on him. And physically he looked far less human. On his face, covering his right eyes and part of his forehead, a mask, made of bone, a red line crossing vertically his eyes and a horn coming from his forehead. Some red fur circled his wrist and ankle. And red tattoo come from the center of his chest to his shoulder.

Both of them stood apparently relaxed but if an experienced warrior happened to watch them, he could tell, simply by looking in their eyes, that they were ready to react at the slightest sign of aggression.

"Whether or not I will try to stop you, that depends, Kurosaki Ichigo, of your intention" Said Unohana Retsu on en even tone.

"**I'm going back to Karakura to end this stupid war!**" Answer the vizard showing nothing else than determination in his distorted voice.

"As I thought"

The fourth division's captain closed her eyes, casting all fighting intend aside.

"Then I must tell you several things"

***(Scene-break)***

Trough the darkness, through the void, through a garganta he himself opened, Ichigo Kurosaki was running on a bright path, alone. According to Unohana, he was heading to a false version of Karakura town, the real one being hidden in Soul Society, which meant that he didn't have to care about the "eventual" destruction he or anyone else might cause. He also was informed about the true power of Aizen's zanpakuto; complete hypnosis of every senses. But first, the victim must witness the release with his eyes and the illusion cannot be retroactive, modifying the memory. So the vizard was sure he wouldn't be under the effect of Kioga Suigetsu when he will attack Aizen, making him the only one to have a chance against the traitor. The last hope of Soul Society.

As he arrived above his home town, or at least its fake, he immediately saw Aizen Sōsuke, standing proud, in front of several captains and nearly all the vizards. He was talking, boasting surely about everything going according to his plan and him being stronger than everyone else. Ichigo didn't have the patience to listen to him, didn't' want to and took a decision the mastermind couldn't predict. The most stupid move Ichigo could ever make. Attacking, head first, facing Aizen looking him straight in the eyes.

"**Getsuga tensho**" Ichigo uttered calmy the name Zangetsu taught him, making it sound more like a truth than an attack. He released all the power he had gathered during his trip between the worlds. The black crescent moon was as thin as his blade, and nearly as tall as him, and more than a few buildings and shields would be needed to stop it. He had know, since the moment Unohana had told him about Aizen's zanpakuto's power, than he would have to, at least, criticaly wound the traitor at the first strike to stand a chance, and Ichigo did it. He managed to surprise the ex-captain, landing a hit at point blank range with the most destructive Getsuga he ever released.

As the mass of reiatsu and the wannabe god hit the ground, it creates a crater, destroying half of the city. The earthquake took care of the rest. In the distance, Ichigo absent-mindedly noticed tall pillar structures crumble. Without losing any more time, Ichigo chased after Aizen's reiatsu, ignoring the gasps and calls of the remaining captains or lieutenants. If they were going to act like Byakuya, Mayuri and Kenpachi, then he would sort things out with them later.

In the cloud of dust in the middle of a large street, Ichigo found again the traitor. Aizen had a gaping, bleeding wound across his chest, his right arm was nothing but a bloody mess, more than half of his white coat has been blown away, only his left sleeve has been left. He was leaning against a wall, panting. The worse, what angered Ichigo even more, was the smile of confidence painted on his face.

"Kurosaki-kun…" Aizen muttered

"**Enough of all this Aizen**" Said Ichigo lifting his sword.

Then something happened. Something Ichigo couldn't even predict. Something that made him stop in his movement, suddenly disrupt his reiatsu flow, and made his eyes widen in surprise. Before him had appeared an unknown arrancar, blond hair, the remains of his mask has taken the form of a small crown on the top of his head. His sword was still sheathed but in his hand he had something far more intimidating.

"**Yuzu…**"

"Nii-…san"

"I'm impressed Kurosaki-kun. Your growth have more that meet my expectations. Only months ago I was able to stop your blade with one finger, and now, look at this." Aizen motioned towards his wounded arm as he didn't care about the fact that he wouldn't be able to use it any time soon. "But you know, as I do, that you won't be fast enough to get me before he crush her neck, isn't it Wanderweiss?

"Aaah…"

"So, how about letting go of your sword now Kurosaki-kun? "

Ichigo glare travelled between Aizen and the arrancar, judging their stance and spiritual pressure. The traitor's reiatsu was calm, flowing massively around his wounds, Wanderwiess's, on the other hand, was wild, unpredictable, a bit like an hyperactive child. He seemed, by his appearance and behaviour, to have a rather limited intellect, but his power was clearly worth an Espada, on par with Grimmjow or maybe Noitra. Resigned but careful not to show it, Ichigo threw his sword at the other side of the street. It was weird to see the black daito bounce and slide on the cement with a screeching sound when the same weapon destroyed the city with a single swing less than a minute ago.

"So I assume you did know about the fake city" Aizen stated as it was the most evident thing in the world. "But they obviously forgot to tell you about the pillars and their purpose"

Ichigo couldn't care less about the pillars, and Aizen blabbing. Out of the three people in front of him, he was focused only on her little sister. Her eyes was now closed, tears begin to roll down her cheeks. Even if Wanderweiss wasn't really squeezing her neck, her breathing was difficult and energy seemed to drain gradually from her body as her movements became rare and slow. Her lips where still mouthing a call for her older brother, but she didn't have enough force to voice it out anymore. Surprisingly she seemed to cope pretty well with the massive spiritual pressure surrounding her, meaning she was still conscious. But Ichigo knew that she wouldn't be able to stand, even less walk by hereself.

"It's rude not to listen when other are speaking to you, Kurosaki-kun.

Byakuya. A sudden thought of the noble shinigami went through his mind. One of the most powerful man in the Sereitei and yet torn between duty and family. Unable to choose, he just let the things went the way other people decided and stuck to their decision, nearly failing to his family and duty at the same time. Now Ichigo can understand how he felt. Helpless, powerless, and guilty, because whatever he does, he would end up doing something wrong. He felt them now, anger and pain. Would someone come and doubt his decision, he would be torn to pieces. But if this someone offered a solution, he would jump on it, whatever the prize on his own being. One can begin to understand someone only when they walk similar path. Kuchiki Byakuya had hated him, but he accepted his solution. Ichigo, on the other hand, had no one to give him an alternate solution, no one to hate,…but himself.

"Whatever. You're spacing out again, Ryoka boy"

Ichigo shifted his gaze to Aizen. He kept his face expressionless, his eyes calm, but inside was burning a fire, the same fire that have made Byakua and Ulquiorra shout at him. The traitor, if he noticed, made no movement. The bleeding on his wound has stopped and his arm was a bit more recognizable than before, but nowhere near usable at the moment. The power behind Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho was so great that the healing cannot be done correctly before erasing the foreign reaitsu using a similar amount of power. But even though the grievous wound and the reaitsu loss, the traitor stood still, unshaken, and smiling. Proud to be mere meters of his enemy and yet unafraid of being hurt.

"But it doesn't matter now, The rest of the gotei 13 has finally found us." Said Aizen before turning his head to the side, and getting ready to welcome again his old fellow captains.

"May the world forgive me" was the last though that goes though Ichigo's mind before he lifted his hand towards the three person in front of him, a black orb of destructive reiatsu already formed at the tip on his finger, and ready to be released.


	4. What the eye sees

Thanks for the reviews!

I'll try to update at least one chapter by week.

About the story, it'll be mainly written though Ichigo POV. However, like in this chapter, the POV will change, but I'll try not to do that too often...

As usual, I don't own either Bleach or HP.

R&R&Enjoy!

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What the eye sees

Instinct. Theory says Hollow are driven by instinct and instinct only. They hunt to eat, always searching for a more "tasty" meal. They are not actually hungry, their instinct force them to feed on other soul to try to fill the void inside their own soul. But no matter how many souls they devour, the void will remain empty, forcing the Hollow to go on.

Shinigamis are different from hollows as reflection comes before instinctual reactions. Most shinigami like to believe that they are the opposite, polar opposite, of hollow, thus making them better.

In practice however, Zaraki Kenpachi stops all reflection right after getting the answer of "who is the strongest?" an Ulquiorra's "search for heart" is nowhere near instinctive, just to name a few examples.

In fact, only lower hollows are slave to their instinct, and mainly the more basic among them; the survival instinct. They eat in order to get stronger. Because in Hueco Mundo, when two hollow meet, either the weakest surrender and hope for mercy, or the strongest survives.

And at some point, naturally -after eating and gathering enough soul-, or not -with the help of Aizen and the Hogokyu- they become strong enough to choose. To choose if they want to follow their instinct or their rationality. As some Adjucas can do a lot of conscious thinking, Grimmjow, an Arrancar, obviously choose to follow primarily his instinct. Wanderweiss, however, wasn't granted the choice. Forcing him to evolve, to transform into an Arrancar, Aizen also ripped off any kind of rationality and intelligence from the mind of the boy.

Hence, when Wanderweiss understood that the most fearful and powerful cero oscurias he had ever seen was about to obliterate his very being, he just tried to follow his survival instinct. Letting go of his little hostage, he held his arm in front of his face, forcing all the reiatsu he could muster in them.

As soon as the pillars began to crumble, the lieutenants Omaeda and Saskibe, and the fifth seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, without even having to wait for orders, departed to stop the reversal. They succeeded at a certain extend, two out of three having already been tired from battle, and the 11th division's fifth seat was not as proficient as the lieutenant at flash step. Eventually, two reversals were stopped at several meters from the pillar, while the around the last pillar there was several original Karakura's houses, and a panting shinigami. The rest of the present Gotei members and the vaizards stood motionless but ready.

Finally, the rampaging reiatsu setteled down a little as the dust began to clear, showing to everyone's eye a scene of untold destruction. Ground zero looked ablaze, black flame like reiatsu strand seemed glued to the rocks, dancing around dissolving the ground, the air and anything they touched. Even in the distance, at the outskirt of the town, only the small, strong built building were still more or less unscathed. Not long after Yamamoto along with the most perceptive captain were able to pinpoint the location of the traitor, following his reiatsu and the representative shinigami's distorted one. A sudden burning reaitsu flaring got the attention of everyone. Yamamoto's cane was dissolving, revealing his zanpakuto.

"Captain Soi Fong, Captain Hitsugaya, retrieve anyone who were in the town, heal your compagnions and cleanse the ennemy."

Despite their wounds and their obvious exhaustion, the two captain shinigamis immediately disappeared in a buzz of flash step. Hitsugaya headed directly towards the last known location of Kira Izuru, who was looking after one of the person he cares about the most ; Hinamori Momo. Only the strictest military training, and the knowledge that he won't be able to find them in the turmoil of dust, rocks and reiatsu made him wait for the commander's orders. Soi Fon went to the pillars, rapidly gathering the shinigamis there, before heading back to the tenth squad's captain.

"All the remaining captains are to follow me, show no mercy to the traitor, and don't let anyone stop you!" The captain commander roared, unsheathing his blade.

"Che..." at those words, understanding their hidden meaning, Hirako Shinji's face turned into a grimace.

He turned towards Lisa, Rose, and love, his companion. Lisa was looking at the distance, feigning to oversee their surrounding, Rose had his eyes closed and was breathing deeply, and Love was staring at Shinji, motionless. Their expression and uneasy stance told him they noticed it too. Ichigo's appearance and reitsu were far too dark, too hollow.

"Ichigo's side", before it had sounded like a good idea : Not only the youngest vizard had several friends among the shinigamis, was very loyal, and would certainly not join Aizen, but the Gotei also owed him a great one for revealing Aizen treachery and need him because he wasn't under the complete hypnosis of Kioka Suigetsu.

Of everything that could've happen, Ichigo showing up in Karakura in this form was expected by none of the ex-captain. But right now, what matters the most was finishing this war.

"Let's go help the fool." With that, Shinji along with the other present vizards flash-stepped, following closely the shinigami captains

They arrived above a nearly empty, half destroyed street just in time to catch the last glimpse of a black ray of destruction traveling along the street before being knocked upwards. But instead of exploding, the black cero slowly dissolved into the air, blackening the sky.

In a sunset light, their breathing laborious due to the dense and dark atmosphere, everyone could finally lay their eyes on Aizen Sōsuke. He stood behind the translucent wall of "Danku". The bakudo had a five feet wide perfectly circular hole right in front of its caster. Thousand of little cracks appeared all of a sudden, coming from the hole towards the edge of the wall before it crumble like broken glass. The traitor wasn't smiling anymore. Kyoka Suigetsu was finally unsheathed, the blade was scratched, chipped and the tip broken. Even though he was able to deflect most of the damage, Aizen had used a great amount of his strength doing so, and the hit he had received from the Getsuga had already left him weakened. But instead of his straight face, the furry evident in his eyes, and a slight panting, he didn't show his weary state.

Except from rumbles, the only other present thing in the street was a pair of foot, wearing black socks and white sandals, the rest of the owner's body was nowhere to be seen.

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I think this chapter was a bit too short, hence an other one is coming really soon.


	5. Consequences

As I promise, an other chapter, the same evening!

Several other details:

-I'm not yet sure about any pairing. You know Ichigo, don't you? In the manga he doesn't seems to be interested in romance, or maybe he couldn't choose (meaning of course that Tite Kubo don't want him to choose between Rukia and Orihime, love triangle etc). But he can befriend almost everyone, soooo... who knows?

-The HP universe is not yet here, it'll come in one, maybe two chapters.

Read&Enjoy

Review are most welcomed, an happy author is a productive one. And they also help me to improve, hence improving the story ;).

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Consequences

Ichigo Kurosaki landed softly on a clean street. The houses around him was undamaged and he felt several human spiritual pressures in almost every of them. "Somehow, a part of the real town is back" he concluded thoughtfully.

He closed his eyes, took hold of his reiatsu and lowered his spiritual pressure as much as possible. He knew that spiritual unaware human could have their soul damaged if they are exposed to a too great reiatsu. And Ichigo wouldn't let himself hurt his neighbours simply by standing in the street.

After making sure his spiritual pressure was no greater than Hanataro's, he turned his head and open his eyes, to lay them on the person he was looking for : Karin Kurosaki.

His sister just got out of the Kurosaki's clinic, she was wearing her habitual soccer attire, revealing two large dark bruise one on his felt arm the other on the left side of her face. She was carrying a first aid kit with already some bandage out of it. On his right, from the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw a person covered by a blanket, lying in a small pool of blood. But he didn't worry about him. According to his spiritual pressure, firstly he was an arrancar, and secondly he wasn't dying in the minute. Sure, his reiatsu level was critically low, but also stable. And Ichigo was clearly aware of the regeneration capacity and the endurance of the espada's member. Setting his attention back to his sister, taking note that she was staring at him, not out of fear, but rather out of surprise, he began to walk toward her.

"**Are you alright, Karin ?**" Ichigo asked.

He was now in front of her, towering one or two foot above her, he had jabbed his sword in the ground beside him to have one free hand. He already knew, having seen her injuries and the look in her eyes, that she was not alright, but expected her to lie nonetheless, like she's used to. Karin froze suddenly, hearing the tone of his voice, tightening her grip on the bag, but nodded, as expected. After getting her answer, Ichigo turned his head to his left.

"**You see Yuzu, she's fine**"

Her other little sister tilted his head towards her sibling, opening her eyes, and muttering weakly.

"Ka...Karin-chan" (1)

Yuzu was still shaken from being held hostage by an espada and Ichigo didn't trust her legs to hold her standing. She was still a bit shaking, her breathing still a bit fast, but she had stopped crying, wiping her tears on Ichigo's coat. Her older brother was glad he was able to shield her frail little body from the violent acceleration of shunpo using his reiatsu. Apparently she wasn't as negatively affected by his reiatsu as by the espada's. Maybe because she was his sister, because he meant her no harm, or because she trusted him, it doesn't matter in fact.

"Nii-san... What's happening ? ... What happened ?" Karin was hesitant, but her voice was firm and she was now looking at Ichigo's right arm.

This arm was scratched, the skin seem to have been grated with sandpaper, and it hurt as if it was on fire. Granted firing a cero oscurias before stepping right in front of his own attack wasn't Ichigo's most brilliant idea he ever had. But well, it worked ! Though he was thankful to his hierro, which protected him for the most part, and his high regeneration capacity which was almost finished healing his arm.

"**There's... nothing to worry about Karin. I've got things in hand.**" Ichigo avoided the second part of the question, trying not to frighten his black haired sister.

"Ichi-nii, what's on your face?" It was Yuzu who asked this question, while trying to touch the horn pointing out of the remains of Ichigo's hollow's mask.

While she was still a bit uncomfortable about his brother's distorted voice, Ichigo noticed immediately she was carefully avoiding looking straight in her brother's eyes. The vaizard turned a bit his head, and lowered his sister, making sure that his "horn" was out of her range.

"**It's... hum... It's to protect me. It's some kind of... armor**" Ichigo answered, his voice a bit unsure. Of course he felt guilty lying to his sisters, but it was to protect them. And in a way, he was at least telling a part of the truth if you consider the hierro. Fortunately Karin didn't buy the lie not even a little, and crossed the two steps separating her from her brother to kick him in the knee.

"Don't think we're stupid nii-san !" Karin hid the pain her foot was sending to her brain with the anger in her voice.

"Karin-chan, don't hurt Ichi-nii !"

"First we fall asleep in the middle of the day, then there's this tower that crumble down waking us. A sort of idiot comes here to kidnap me. A half nude blond woman and him began to fight. And a stupid ugly feathered shinigami joined the fray. So don't expect us to believe that everything's alright. As for your armor, I can see them you know, it looks like that monster in the graveyard."

Ichigo was stuck by a lighting going through his whole being, piercing his heart. For several seconds he remain motionless, staring coldly at Karin, who stood her ground despite having her hands shaking more and more. Ichigo knew that it was not only anger that was unsettling her. "That monster in the graveyard", an hollow, the Grand fisher, the same monster that killed Masaki Kurosaki, Ichigo's mother. Right now he felt like screaming, running, going as far as possible from his little sisters so that he could unleash his furry, destroying as many things as possible no matter what it would be.

Turning his head, Ichigo caught his reflection in the window of the clinic, and he understood. His skin was deathly pale, his hair were a bit less bright orange as they used to be, and a bit longer too. He don't have the collar of red fur, but his wrist had them. His fingers bore black claws. His chest was tattooed with red strips. But his face was what must've frightened his sister. In his left eye, the sclera was pitch black, and his iris pure gold. The right one was completely hidden in the void created by the orbit of the remains of the Mask. This mask was stuck against his face, covering a part of his forehead and the side of his head. His right horn was still there, still sharp. His eye soften a bit when he saw Yuzu finally trying to make eye contact with him. Out of the three of them, she was the most empathic, and even if she didn't understand why, she saw that her sister's word had hurt her brother.

"**Karin...**" Ichigo set again his eye on his sister. She was still angry, still waiting for answer, and she certainly won't apologize, as expected from her. After all, she may know about shinigamis and hollows, but how could she know about the identity of her mother's murderer.

"**Yuzu, can you stand?**" After she nodded, Ichigo settled her down. He laid his hand on her shoulder squeezing gently, mimicking the gesture with Karin.

"**Listen girls, there's an army of... monsters, who wants to destroy our city. But I'm fighting them, I won't allow them to achieve their goal. And this armor is simply helping me. It's helping me to protect everyone I care for.**"

"I want to fight too"

"**No, Karin, you...**"

"You don't have to take everything upon you Ichigo, I want to help too, I can help !"

"**Karin, your arm is broken.**"

"But..."

"**No but, Karin. Your arm is broken and you received a nasty hit on your head. When I will be going, I want you to stay here and protect your sister, understood?**"

This time Karin finally calmed down, and turn her head toward Yuzu before nodding.

"You don't have to go Ichi-nii, you can stay here and protect me yourself. You don't look so scary you know" Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her sister's antics. He put his hand on her head and shake it, making sure to mess her hair up.

"**You know I will stay if I could, Yuzu, but I can't. So I need you to take care of your sister, so she won't run into something too large for her, okay ? I'll come back, I promise"**

He removed his hand. And as Yuzu was trying to comb down her hair, and he held his arm in the centre of the circle the siblings are forming, a little black cube already formed at the tip of his index. He had seen Grimmjow doing it once. After understanding the concept of garganta, it was very easy to produce. And it took little effort and reflection to modify it a little to make it a bit, -okay a lot it fact- weaker.

"**This is a 'Caja Negation' it'll hide the both of you during around two hours. It'll be a bit scary in there, but nothing more scary than dad, don't worry.**"

He planted his eyes in Karin's ones, long enough to make sure she got the message.

"**So ready ?**"

They didn't answer. Yuzu was staring at her older brother, with tears slowly gathering in her eyes. And Karin was looking sternly at the "Caja Negation", her fists still a bit shaking, and it was evident that she was fighting back her own tears. In silence, the siblings could understand each other. The twins finally realized the seriousness of the situation, of the battle when they saw, in their brother's eye how worried he was for them. He hid it , hid it well, but his sisters already knew the trick.

All of a sudden Yuzu was trying to hide her tears in Ichigo's coat. Karin threw a glance at him, a glance promising pain if he didn't come back, a glance full of reproaches because he cared too much for others and not enough for himself. She nodded again at her brother. She would take his place, protecting Yuzu, until he comes back.

"Stupid" Was the only thing Karin muttered before throwing herself forward, hugging her brother.

Ichigo, seeing her reactions, found himself fighting back tears too. He felt gulty burdening his sisters like that, but he was happy. They still trust him despite what he had become, and he was about to make sure they won't get hurt.

Finally they parted. Ichigo gave them a last, reassuring smile before letting black reiatsu warp around his sister, before disappearing in thin air, sending them in an other hidden and secure dimension. As soon as he was alone again, he took grip of his sword. He was glad that he minimized his spiritual pressure, allowing him to sense the incoming attack and react just in time.

"Reduce all creation to ash..."

Ichigo stood up, turned and readied his sword in front of him, not having enough time to evade, concentrating in blocking the attack.

"...Ryujin Jakka"

A torrent of flames crashed on his sword, the force of the impact threw Ichigo several feet back, leaving two small trenches where his feet dug in the ground to stop his movement. When he finally stopped, Ichigo began to pour more and more reiatsu in his sword, dividing the burning flow in two. Even if he succeed at a certain extend, he still felt his hierro of his right arm was weakening. His skin began to peel off, before tuning to ash and disappearing, quickly followed by the muscle beneath. Infinitely long seconds later, as his bones were about to show, the burning torrent seemed to lessen a bit, allowing Ichigo to discharge the reiatsu in his blade into a Getsuga Tensho, cleanly cutting the flames in two. Ichigo saw them evaporate, but the burning in his arm didn't recede at the same rate. He had to concentrate a simply huge amount in his arm to stop the remaining reiatsu to completely burn it off. Needless to say, the high speed regeneration won't be able to work properly until the foreign reiatsu was cleansed

"Explain yourself Kurosaki Ichigo"

Before the teenager stood, as expected, the captain commander, Yamamoto Shingekuni Genryusai, his burning sword in his hand, staring at him with a fire in his eyes, a fire that could rival his zanpakuto's. At Yamamot's right, a bit behind him, Hirako Shinji, leader of the vizard, looked at the youngest member of his group, the corners of his mouth bend downward, throwing quick glances at his former superior. At Yamamoto's left, also several yards behind, Urahara Kisuke, founder of the institute of science and technology of the Gotei, looked more serious than ever, his hat casting a sinister shadow on his eyes, his gaze travelling from his latest student to the spot where Karin and Yuzu disappeared. And finally, to Urahara's side, someone Ichigo didn't await at all, in a shinigami attire, a zanpakuto at his side, a sort of white coat strapped to his shoulder, Isshin Kurosaki. Ichigo's father wasn't even looking in his direction, his hands was gripping tightly the side of his shihakusho's pant, his eyes closed and his head bend downward.

"**Well,... and I thought my day couldn't get any worse**"

Ichigo felt it now, a barrier, protecting the houses around them, propelling all reiatsu upward. Being sure now that no human would be hurt by his reiatsu, he released his grip on it, allowing it to expand, his spiritual pressure to rise. Of course, as expecting from captain class shinigami, -even thought he wasn't sure for his dad- his reiatsu didn't affect them at all. He could now sense it, the power of his father, at last equal to Urahara's, and at the distance a turmoil of reiatsu. He recognized, in the flow of reiatsu, the agitation of several captain class shinigamis battling against a stronger opponent. Just as he was about to pinpoint which spiritual pressure belonged to who, he sensed a garganta open, and close seconds after. The battle died down but all reiatsu remained in place, expect one, which only means one thing ; Aizen Sōsuke just got away.

"**I'm doing what I must...**"

As he had already explained to his classmates, Ichigo was far from stupid. Granted he was known to be hot-headed and to charge without thinking. But if he didn't think before acting most of the time, that doesn't mean he was unable to think. Damn it he was ranked 23rd in his year at school !

"**...because I can.**"

It was evident to him that the head captain, despite Ichigo's answer, certainly won't allow him to exist, won't allow a being so close to a hollow exist. That was clear in the old man's eyes. Shinji was still uncertain, he didn't want to go against an other vizard -or at least vizard-like being without a hole- but he knew that if he sided with Ichigo or did nothing, Yamamoto would be fast to treat the other vizards like the orange haired teenager. Urahara still seemed deep in thought, certainly analyzing what Ichigo had done to his sisters, waiting to have this answer, to know all the variable, before making a decision. But, he was more or less in the same situation as Shinji, he knew it, as does Ichigo. And finally Ichigo's father didn't look ready to make any decision. He seemed to use all his willpower to keep standing on his feet.

"**Shinji, Hat'n'clog, Yama-jii,... Dad...**"

Ichigo knew that he didn't have much time left. All other captains and vizards were already heading their way. Everything would have been fine if only Aizen didn't escape.

"**Goodbye**"

Against a monster like Aizen, one must stand strong and united. Ichigo waved his left arm in front of him, releasing three balas instantly, before firing a wordless Getsuga Tensho at the last man he didn't target ; Yamamoto. His strategy paid off : The balas were too fast, forcing his targets to block instead of evade. Though he made sure to put enough reiatsu in them to deal a fair amount of damage and throw them off balance, Ichigo knew that balas were nowhere near powerful enough to knock out captain class opponents. As for Yamamoto, seeing a stronger attack directed directly toward him, he took the bait, accepting the challenge of deflecting it as Ichigo had done moments before.

For an instant, all of them were distracted, just what Ichigo needed, allowing him to flash step at the side of the captain, gripping his haori, tearing it away from the old man's shoulder. -Serve him right for not wearing the thing correctly.- Before the head captain could react, Ichigo was already gone, crouching beside the motionless figure laying on the ground. The vizard was readying a black cube of reiatsu at the top of his finger. The last thing he saw was a yellow cero coming from Shinji's fist, and a crimson wave of energy coming from Benihime, Urahara's zanpakuto, both heading his way at frightening speed, before he was engulfed in his own Caja Negation.

* * *

1: I'm not sure here about the way Yuzu call her sister in the manga. If I'm wrong, please flame me so that correction can come quickly.

By the way, I'm trying to stay as close as possible to character's actual behaviours and ...characters (... that sound weird), so if you point out mistake I made... I'll try to correct them as much as possible.

Thank you all for reading

I hope you enjoyed.

See you soon


	6. Healing

Favs, follows, and reviews ; thank you everyone!

Special thanks to:

**Tango Dancer**; "With great power there must also come great responsability". It won't be the last time Ichigo will have to make difficult descisions if he plans to become more powerful. Fights won't be the hardest thing in his life!

** Rei Rusuragi**; Yes, I'll be trying to make Karin an Yuzu a bit more present and important than in the manga.

** Agreveah**; Thank you, I'll try to apply your advice. When I re-read my story, even days after, it's still crystal clear, so it's not easy to see where the reading may be difficult, but I'll work on that.

** killroy225**; Still alive!

** RandomAsRainbows**; I try to write as often as possible, It's really time consuming. But as I say, I'll be trying to update at least one chapter a week.

Thank you again.

And thank you everyone who is reading this.

And the last note before letting you read the chapter: I had to re-write a part of chapter 5, and updating it again. Nothing major had changed, just some "clarifications". I'll be trying to keep the "re-update" rate as low as possible I promise.

And now: enjoy!

* * *

Healing

It takes at least two seconds to open a garganta, and only a bit less to close it, that much Ichigo knew it because he already saw several of them, travelled through two, and created one by himself. In other word : Using a garganta took far too long in a battle situation, or at least a battle against so much strong opponents.

That's why Ichigo chose to use a "Caja Negation" ; for its speed of action. Moreover one can only approximate how long they would be "trapped", and none can predict where they would come out. Ulquiorra freed himself less than two hours after he got trapped, unlike what Grimmjow asserted, and reappeared kilometres away. Ichigo was mostly counting counting on the seemingly random repositioning, to give him and his "passenger" time to get away. He also didn't want to get trapped in his own "escape trick" forever so he made sure to lessen a bit the strength of the "Caja Negation".

But of course in the heat of the battle, such fine reiatsu adjustments are really hard to make, especially for Ichigo. Granted he could control his spiritual pressure far better now, but it was more instinctive than a real mastery.

But, according to Murphy's law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, especially if Kurosaki Ichigo was near.

As soon as Ichigo entered the void of the pocket dimension, he felt his reiatsu explode. Here there was nothing, no natural reiatsu in the air to block and repress his. He deemed the reaction to be normal so he didn't even try to keep his reiatsu in check. Worse he released completely his grip on it. Constantly controlling, suppressing his spiritual pressure was becoming mentally exhausting. And, he thought, with a bit of luck, Yamamoto's reiatsu would be washed away.

That's when things went wrong.

At the moment Ichigo let his reiatsu expand, the Caja Negation shattered. A massive amount of reiatsu was instantly forced back in his body, almost making him faint but also sending all his senses right down his sockets.

He more or less register falling down. His whole body was as numb as after a day long bath in ice cold water. He barely noticed when he crashed on the hard ground. He didn't fear roller coaster, he might even enjoy them a little, moreover even the speed of his bankai didn't make him dizzy. Now, however, Even though he was pretty sure to be motionless, his balance was gone, all concepts of up and down, right and left were a vague souvenir. Wherever Ichigo looked all he could see was dancing rainbows. Mermaids were singing and screaming at the same time in his ears. He could smell the fresh and lightly salty odour of cold sea even if he had some difficulties breathing. He had a weight on his chest, and he felt like being smothered by Nel in her "hug of death".

Step by step,Ichigo regained his bearings. After around a minute, he finally repressed his rampaging reiatsu. His senses calmed down slowly afterwards. When his world stopped swinging flashing and screaming, several minutes after his "landing", he lessen his grip on whatever branch or rock his left hand was crushing. But he still had difficulties breathing.

Opening his eyes, Ichigo realized he was in fact really being smothered between a woman's breasts. With a grunt, he pushed he aside, taking note that what he thought to be a wounded man, was in fact a wounded woman.

She made no sound being shifted like a dead weight, but Ichigo saw she was still breathing. Weakly, but breathing nonetheless.

Ichigo got up, unsure on his legs, suddenly feeling too tall for himself and looked at his surroundings. The ground he was standing on had been compressed and creaked, creating a little crater. All the trees around him were laying down, uprooted or broken. Observing them more closely he concluded that he wasn't near Karakura. There was some forest around the city but none with those trees. And the clouded night sky confirmed Ichigo that he was pretty far away from his home town, which explained why the gotei hadn't found him and... disposed of him yet.

A faint throb coming from his right arm made him realize his own state. His left arm, which deflected a part of a cero oscurias, was almost already completely healed. But his right arm looked like a burned piece of wood, up to the shoulder. It was abnormally thin, as most of the muscles had been turned to dust, no skin was visible, little grey fumes were coming from the many cracks in his burnt flesh. Strangely Ichigo didn't feel any pain coming from his mangled arm and he was still able to perfectly move it around. Flexing his fingers made him remember some horror film with zombies ; it was really weird and rather creepy. Although, thankfully, his uncontrolled outburst of reiatsu expelled nearly all Yamamoto's reiatsu from his body.

When he bowed his head, continuing the inspection, the vizard's scowl deepened seeing the amount of blood painted on his torso. A quick overlook confirmed him that it wasn't his. He had no wound, and the reiatsu didn't match.

Deciding to stop delaying himself, he removed the blanket to inspect the wounds of the arrancar woman. Against his will, he felt his face heating up, his cheeks becoming red with embarrassment. He was expecting a "half-nude" woman -like Karin had so well explained- not a "nearly nude" one whose assets could easily rival Inoue's. She was wearing bone-like shoes and gloves, a really short skirt with several spears-like ribbons coming from the belt. Both her breast were almost bare except … a certain point, which was covered, preserving a last bit of her decency.

Ichigo shook his head and blinked a few times, clearing his mind before concentrating on the arrancar's wounds. She had a huge gash across he abdomen and a nasty stab through her left shoulder. Using his left hand to inspect them, probe them, Ichigo gladly noticed that she had already healed her lung, stomach, and her other internal organs before passing out. The only thing preventing her latent regenerative capacity to finish the work, was a foreign reiatsu infesting her injuries. Ichigo recognized it easily, and didn't have difficulties believing it. His hatred for his owner increased again. Aizen Sōsuke had lifted his sword against his fellow captains, his subordinates, and now even against the espada he himself created. This man would do anything to achieve his goal, he was merciless, and the only life he valued was is own.

Ichigo had frozen, his hand pressed on the arrancar's shoulder. The feeling of warm blood flowing between his fingers bring him back from his murderous thoughts to reality. His "patient" had seemed stable, but she was still bleeding. Not arterial blood of course, but a slow continuous flow of dark blood was leaking out of her body. Ichigo guessed that her "high speed regeneration" was providing her fresh blood at an increased rate, otherwise she would already be dead from blood loss. But obviously that can't keep up forever, when she would run out of reiatsu, she will run out of blood too. Ichigo cut bands out of the blanket, using the part not stained by blood to bandage her injuries. He was conscious that it wouldn't stop the bleeding, but it would slow it down. He didn't have any stitching material, and didn't even try to mend the flesh together. He had a better idea.

-Well, maybe not better, but an other idea nonetheless-

Ichigo was not very efficient with Kido ; a nice way to tell that he never practised, never learned, or even think to learn. And with his previous reiatsu control, eventually everything would have blown up in his face. Medical Kido, was even less his cup of tea. Right now however that could have been useful. But, he was lucky his "patient" was an arrancar. All he had left to do was cleaning the wounds, which mean removing Aizen's reiatsu.

The vizard had absolutely no idea how a real medic, like Inoue and Unohana, would do that. But here came his brilliant idea. He don't have any control on Aizen reiatsu, but he could now manipulate his own in a way he haven't thought before.

So he began pouring his reiatsu in his patient's injuries. Black tendrils were coming out of the tip of his fingers, whirled a bit, drawing chaotic pattern in the air, before diving in the arrancar's flesh. At first, nothing happened, but when the wounds was saturated with reiatsu, Ichigo sensed Aizen's being pushed out by his. The arrancar began to stir, which was a good thing ; she still had enough energy to do so.

Finally, after long minutes of concentration, Ichigo was sure that both of the arrancar's cut was completely full of his reiatsu. He couldn't feel Aizen's reiatsu anywhere though. But that didn't mean anything anymore. The whole place was vibrating, pulsing with Ichigo's spiritual pressure. Although for a first try in doing something he didn't even knew if it would work or even could work at all, he was still rather happy his the result. The last thing he had to do, is gathering his reiatsu from the wound to allow the regeneration to occur.

Mere seconds later, even Ichigo was surprised with himself doing so fast, the arrancar's injuries was slowly closing and the vizard held a small orb of black reiatsu in the palm of his hand. Still staring at it, Ichigo got up to stretch his legs. He had spend the last thirty minutes kneeling on a hard ground and his knees were having a rather bad time. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the small orb of swirling reiatsu was slowly leaking in the ambient air. After several tries, he gave up trying to "reabsorb" this amount of reiatsu. And was about to let it evaporate by itself. And he couldn't prevent himself from thinking, at the last moment :

"Funny, it almost look like..."

***(Scene-break)***

Ichigo was lying on the ground, two weapons were jabbed in the ground beside him. To his right ; Tensa Zangetsu, black, thin and deadly sharp. To his left ; the arrancar's zanpakuto, white, large, and deceivingly blunt looking. The vizard's visage was still showing several scratches, acquired when a weak cero, he himself gather, -although unknowingly- blew up in his face. His eyes closed, he was waiting. He was feeling a light stirring in the back of his mind and at the same time hearing a sort of faint whisper. He perfectly knew where that was coming from, but he was ignoring it, pushing it as far as possible. He couldn't deal with them for now. All he was doing, was constantly checking the spiritual pressure of his "patient", and thinking on what he was about to ask her. Nothing else, nothing more.

When he finally sensed she was about to wake up, Ichigo got up, slowly. He hesitated for a second, looking at his weapon. He had to force the whisper further back in his mind as he gripped the hilt of his zanpakuto. When he turned his head, he could lay his eyes on the still unconscious arrancar. He had used Yamamoto's haori to cover her, with the poor excuse of "keeping her warm" -which was was in reality "keeping his mind clear". And now Ichigo could look at her face without any … distractions. Her skin was slightly tanned. She had messy, short, dark blond hair. The same blond coloured her eyelashes. Two red lightning shaped tattoos horned her cheeks(1). Her face seemed accustomed to seriousness, but now it held a deep calm. Ichigo was ashamed not to have realized before how beautiful she was.

As she open her eyes, Ichigo straightened himself, standing right in front of her, his weapon held to the side, but ready nonetheless. She look briefly around her before catching sight of Ichigo. She gazed him from horn to toes before staring intensely in his brown left eye. The void that was taking the place of his right's was disturbing.

Ichigo was also staring at her green eyes. Although her face was now, as expected, expressionless and serious, her eyes were fierce.

"What do you want from me, Kurosaki Ichigo ? Why do you keep me alive ?" Her voice was even.

"**Don't worry, for 'this' problem,**" Ichigo held up his sword and pressed it against her throat "**there is always 'this' solution.**"

She got the message and didn't even answer. Ichigo had seen her eyes widen at the tone of his voice, before they immediately travelled towards her own sword.

"**Now answer me : What happened?**"

"When?" Her eyes was staring again at Ichigo's. She had understood that her swords was far out of her reach, especially in her condition.

"**From the moment you attacked the one named Wanderweiss.**"

"We fought. A shinigami came to disturb us, but he was knock out. Short after, I was defeated" Her answer was short, coldness could now be heard in her voice.

"**Why did you fight him?**"

It was the question Ichigo wanted to ask in the beginning. He had hoped she would get it when he had asked the first one, but she haven't. Ignorance, maybe, but she was probably just acting stubborn. She thought for several seconds, glancing a few time at the swords threatening her throat, before answering.

"What, you never saw two mindless beats fighting each other for a tasty meal ?"

Ichigo frowned at her words.

"**Is it him who hurt you?**"

She pressed her hand on her newly healed abdomen through the haori's fabric.

"Yes, but don't make it sound like you care, shinigami."

"**And what would you do now, hollow, if I let you live ?**"

Ichigo could barely hide the anger in his voice, but his hand remained firm.

"I would rejoin Aizen-sama and his great army, and help him destroy Soul Society and Karakura." She had nearly shouted the end of her sentence, and lifted her chin. The movement was tiny, but Ichigo noticed it.

"**Do you think I'm stupid ?**"

The vizard removed his sword from her throat, to place it right before her left eyes, leaning it on the bridge of her nose, making the threat even more evident and omnipresent. She froze completely not daring moving a millimetre. The blade was cold, and she would feel its power. But she wasn't afraid, or at least, she didn't show it. She appeared to be simply waiting, motionless, for Ichigo to continue.

"**If you were telling the truth, mind explaining me why your injuries were full of Aizen's reiatsu instead of Wanderweiss', and why the one you were trying to eat, was planning to heal you ?**"

She was at loss of word, so instead of answering, she kept staring at him as he continued.

"**You are an arrancar and not just a hollow. And believe me when I told you I understand the difference. You assumed I was shinigami, do I really look like one ? I'm not stupid, and you aren't either. So now answer me, an tell me the truth. Why did you protect my sisters from Wanderweiss?**"

She breathed deeply, and conceded.

"I didn't do it for your sisters. I attacked Wanderweiss, when he was trying to kidnap them."

Ichigo lowered his sword and took one step back. After a few seconds, he turned around and began to walk away, he got his answers, and didn't need anything else. She haven't done anything to threaten his family so he had no reason holding a grudge against her. Moreover she wouldn't rejoin Aizen, not after he tried to kill her.

"WHY?"

"**What?**"

She had shouted but his voice was nothing more that a whisper. He stopped and turned his head a bit, just to see her in the corner of his eyes.

"**Why did I save you, or why didn't I kill you?**"

He took a pause then. As she didn't answer, he assumed she was waiting for an answer for both of the questions.

"**Don't blame me if I can't understand why you want to die. I can't give you hope, I can't give you a reason to go on. But I won't allow you to use me to kill yourself.**"

He had noticed how desperate she was, going as far as using cheap lies. Ichigo was half expecting her to get up, fetch her sword and provoke him into a fight. They both know that in her condition she was no match for him. But will he be strong enough to defeat her without risking her life ?

However she remained motionless.

"**And I didn't save your life. I get you out of the battlefield, and healed your wounds, so that I can ask you questions. That's all.**"

Ichigo knew he shouldn't say anything more, he didn't have to. But he could leave like that either. He tried to flash-step away, but he couldn't do more than flexing a bit his knees before stopping. His reiatsu seemed to stop when he tried to gather it in his legs. The pulling on his consciousness was becoming more and more insistent, but he could still resist it. So it shouldn't affect him to this point.

Eventually, he turned around, facing the arrancar who was sitting, leaning back on one elbow. Not knowing why, he was avoiding her eyes, staring instead at her cheek.

"**However, you owe me your life now, so don't waste it,...**"

The arrancar didn't hear the last part of his sentence as the vizard disappeared nearly at the same time.

* * *

1/ I know her tattoos are blue. But there isn't any mistake here, I just can't tell you why yet.

So this is the end of the first meeting between Ichigo and Harribel. (Without counting that time when she saw him fighting Grimmjow. That don't count; he didn't see her).

Next chapter, another meeting between Ichigo and two other persons. That will be a bit more... volatile...

Hope you enjoyed.

À bientôt!


	7. Kaien Arisawa

So much favs! So much follow! and reviews too! (I an Happy (droopy style))

**Danny Phantom Phanatic:** I'm trying to stick to Ichigo's post "dangai training". A lot more serious but, well, still Ichigo! You had noticed that the haircut was the same too!

**Humbled Writer :** Thanks, correcting that right away.

**Himawari-no-Ichizoku:** I'm glad you're enjoying it :). PS, for the bitch slap: Violence is not a solution... well it's a rather goo argument, but still. However, you're right, some of them deserve it!

**Coreldecortavar & killroy225 :** Thanks you two. And for the HP universe, you won't have to wait long!

In fact I was planning to write one more chapter "only bleach" and a chapter with HP before this one. But I'm giving you this right away, so you won't kill me for making you wait, and it'll add a but of mystery.

So right away, introduction of the Harry Potter's universe, Zaraki's style, with no transitions.

Enjoy!

* * *

Kaien Arisawa

Cold water was flowing though his fingers. It went down inexorably. Sliding on his fingers the water fell in little drops. Each drop will always end up in the bottom of the sink, but none of them would take the same path as an other. He didn't even know why he stood, motionless, watching the black dye being slowly washed away, and thinking about meaningless things. Nonchalantly, he began to scrub his nails on a towel, removing the last spots of black on them. He was trying to clean a half black dyed sink when he stopped to look at his watch. Five minutes, finally.

It was the second time he had to dye his hair. And while it this method was more effective than a simple jinx -it won't disappear with a counter-spell, cover the hair completely and won't wear off for around six month- it takes far longer to apply and was messy as hell. It take a while to prepare the hair meant to be dyed, and the dye took five minutes to dry on them, and seven to dry on the skin.

Ichigo took a clean towel, pour water on it until it was soaked and use it to wash his neck and his face. The previously white material was already dark grey, nearly black, when Ichigo lifted his head and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

It had taken several weeks for Ichigo to recognize the man at the other side of the glass. And he still wasn't used to his appearance. His pitch black hairs were now longer, now covering his neck and a few strands were passing before his eyes. Due to their new length they tended to be a little less messy. His eyebrows were black now too. His eyes could be described as "normal" now. So no more black sclera, golden iris, and bottomless void. But the bright blue color of the irises was still a bit disturbing.

He cleaned the last black trace on his forehead before leaning a bit closer to the mirror, inspecting his eyes. Each day he dreaded to see gold return in his irises. Today, he was lucky again. Then, Ichigo picked up his foundation make-up and use it to make the little, red, tear shaped mark he had under his left eye, disappear. It looked a bit like Ulquiorra's tears, but not crossing the cheeks. He did the same for his right eye. He hadn't any mark there, but it would hide the black circles he had gathered from lack of sleep.

Now more or less satisfied with the way his face look, Ichigo concentrated with the other boring but indispensable task he must accomplish every morning. Taking the pot laying at the edge of the sink, he struggle to open it with his left hand. The ointment inside looked like honey. It was golden colored, thick, barely liquid, with even little bubbles trapped inside. Luckily, the smell of the medicine should prevent anyone from tasting it. It was a sort of disgusting mix between vinegar and formalin. Ichigo, conscientiously, spread the ointment on his right arm.

Mrs Pomfresh, and professor Snape had nearly tried everything, every spell, and every potion, but nothing wanted to work and heal the burned arm. Internally, Ichigo presumed it was because of the "special" nature of the burn, that it can't be healed via "normal" way. So the only solution he was given was this ointment or St-Mungo. Saying he trusted the Hogward's staff to be at least as efficient as the hospital's staff, he had taken the ointment. It was of course meant to heal, completely restoring the flesh and skin, but after several months of daily treatment, Ichigo still saw no difference. All the ointment did was to ease the pain for a great deal, which was already a thing Ichigo was thankful for.

Having finally finished his morning make-up/ointment-applying session, Ichigo took a glance at his watch. 2am. Good, he still had all the time he needed. Putting it back in his pocket. Ichigo grabbed a thing that he really found difficult to consider as his new weapon. It was light brown and thin, really thin- even thinner that Yamamoto's lieutenant's shikai-. His wand.

* * *

**Flash back**

_"Makers of fine wands since 382 B.C."_ Well, that must be a family business. Although Ichigo knew old Yamamoto, who was several hundred years old if not more, he highly doubt any "living" human can live this long.

Inside the shop was dusty, full, and dusty. Apart from a counter, several lamps that seemed to cast more shadow that light, dust, some apparently useless furniture and dust, only long and thin boxes, covered with dust, can be seen.

"Strange, indeed, very strange"

Ichigo turned toward the owner of the raspy voice who was certainly also the owner of the shop. An old man stood in the arch formed by boxes and was staring intensely at his latest customer. He was wearing an old wizard robe, his hair was unruly and he was unshaven. Altogether he looked as dusty as his shop.

"Excuse me" That phrase and a lightly raised eyebrow was the only reaction Ichigo had. Already, he was more or less accustomed to the lacking courtesy of the English folk. They hardly even state their own names before asking others, never use suffixes, and were substantially rude. He knew that it was a different country, a different culture, but the transition was still a bit tough to live through, but he made efforts.

"_Wait, was I, me, Kurosaki Ichigo, complaining about someone's rudeness and lack of courtesy ? This world is surely coming to its end!"_

"You're too young to be out of Hogwart, but too old to enter first year next semester. And also too old to receive your first wand. Moreover I don't remember selling you one. Hence, it's strange to see you here, mister ?..."

"Arisawa, Kaien Arisawa" Ichigo answered.

"Garrick Ollivander. A pleasure to meet you, Mr Arisawa. Professor Dumbledore had already informed me about you, what a sad story."

"Indeed"

At the mention of the professor's name, Ichigo clenched his jaw. He didn't like others to be "informed" about him and his cover story. The less people knew about him and his story, the less people will try to search into his past, and the less people would eventually find that "Kaien Arisawa" didn't even exist in the first place, and find that his sad story was just a sad fiction.

Ichigo was so deep in his thoughts, wondering what he would do if his cover was to be blown, that he didn't react until he felt something poking his nostril. He jerked awake, pulled back a little and gripped a metric tape who was taking his measurements. The tape twirled, and slapped his fingers, trying to break free.

"_Why not"_

First there was some magical bus, moving wall, living pictures, flying brooms, and now snake-like ribbons. Why would Ichigo even be surprised? Nonchalantly he threw the living thing in a corner of the room. In mid air, it rolled itself up, and begin to float again on its own before landing softly on a table. Warily, Ichigo glanced toward Ollivander. He was already half ready to see him with a disapproving look on his face. Not that he would have cared a lot, the lack of sleep weighted greatly on his social resilience.

Fortunately, the shop owner was turned, already searching for a box in his shelves.

"Left or right handed, Mr Arisawa?" Ollivander asked without looking at Ichigo.

"Huh,... Right-handed, but I had this accident so..."

"So left-handed I guess. Here,"Ollivander opened the box he just took off his a shelf and hold out a wand to the young wizard. "10 inches, unicorn hair, oak wood, give it a try"

"How...?"

"Just wave it" He said as it was plain evident, mimicking the gesture to empathize his words.

"_Yeah, sure, last time I _waved_ something, several buildings were destroyed!" _Ichigo thought bitterly.

He tried it nonetheless, taking care to aim at the most empty wall of the room. A faint whistle could be heard as the wand whipped the air, but nothing else happened. Ichigo was still staring blankly at the wall, still waiting for something to happen as he felt the wand being snatched from his hand and an other on was presented to him.

"Try this one ; 7 inches, dragon heartstrings, ebony wood."

Because he wasn't expecting anything to happen -maybe there was no visual effect- the explosion of one of the wall surprised him quite a bit. Meaning he had jumped in the air, let go of his wand and lifted his arm before his face in a defensive stance. What alarmed him the most however, was his reiatsu. He was feeling his spiritual pressure rise. Luckily, Ollivander was focused on mending the damage and the people in the street didn't seem to care at all. That gave Ichigo the time to tame his reiatsu, push it back deep in his soul and to blame himself for being careless. If anyone noticed his spiritual pressure, he was nearly 100% sure things would get ugly rather quickly.

"Maybe a bit less powerful,... let's try..."

And it went on. This time, every wand gave some results. And although the said results consisted everytime in breaking/ burning/ freezing something, never the result was as destructive as the second wand's one. After the 11th wand nearly threw a chair in his face, -which he dodged, but the chair destroyed a window instead- Ichigo gave up keeping count and began to wonder if he would have to wave every damn wand in this shop before finding one fitting him. If he find such a wand of course. He was getting the feeling that Ollivander was making him try randomly chosen wands. And how he was always able to state the characteristics of every wand out from memory was still a mystery to Ichigo. He had checked ; no inscriptions on the box, and even less on the wand.

"14 inches, phoenix feather, hazel wood. Precise, fast, and flexible. Give it a wave."

Half-heartedly, looking through the window to estimate which hour it can be, Ichigo waved the wand. At first, he knew something was wrong when he didn't hear anything breaking. A faint silvery glow began to emit from the wand. Soon his whole body was surrounded by an aura, so bright it seemed to deem the light inside the shop and made the day outside look like midnight.

Ollivander was protecting his eyes behind his hand, and several gasp of surprise and annoyance could be heard from the street. The only one unaffected was Ichigo himself, the new owner of this wand.

* * *

Ichigo straightened up, dried his face taking care not to remove his make-up and put his wand in his sheath. The little stick of wood looked so fragile and useless. But for having read a lot of since Christmas, the teenager knew that its look was deceiving. Of course some spells could be described as "useful while you don't seek to accomplish anything pertinent", but others could be really powerful. From deadly destructive to life-saving.

Despite his age, apparently in magical England as soon as you turn 17 you were considered as mature and hence allowed to perform magic unmonitored, he didn't get this authorization. Mainly because he hadn't done any magic before. Nonetheless, Ichigo had trained long hours the wand gesture and the pronunciation to a point he was rather sure he could succeed in casting a great number of spell, if not in the first time, at least in a few tries.

He had brought every course's books from year one to seven. He still didn't know in which class year he would be put so he had read all the books, well nearly all of them, Lockart's books weren't so credible and the man seemed too full of himself. Ichigo really hoped his sight won't decrease. His black hair were already enough, if he must wear glasses, no one will allow him to forget, and Ishida certainly won't ever forgive him. All he would need would be a bit of hair gel, and the resemblance would be perfect.

The new wizard had been focused only on spells an jinxes. Spells in charms, conjuration, transfigurations, defense. In short ; everything that can be done with a wand only. Potions can be useful, very useful in certain situation, but it needed something he wouldn't always have, time, and something he lacked, patience. Divination was plain bullshit and magical history was totally uninteresting. The only good point of it was the book "Hogwart, an history" who contain really useful informations if one could read between the lines.

Aside from course's book, he got every interesting book he could buy without rising suspicion. "Killing Aizen Sōsuke with your wand for Dummies" and every other war and battle related books would look very weird in the hand of a 17 years old boy. So in the end, his luggage, with all the books, the rest of the course material, his clothes and the rest of his stuff, was pretty full.

Just to be sure, he checked a last time that he had put everything he needed in his luggage and forget nothing in the shelves or wardrobe. He placed his wizard's robe on top of the other stuffs then closed his case, locked it, and kicked it out of the bed.

3 am, he began to get dressed. Although his right arm was still very painful, proof that some nerves might still work, he can't move it anymore, the muscles were burned. At first it wasn't easy, he had to learn to do everything with only one hand. And if it wasn't enough, it was his weak one. Buttoning his shirt took ages, carrying stuff was a nightmare, and writing was nigh impossible.

Fortunately he fended way better now, after about thirty minutes he was completely dressed. A pair of solid leather boots, black pants, a white shirt, and a dark brown leather jacket. Ichigo was still struggling to put his hand-gloves. He had discovered he could bend his fingers, which almost felt like he has a million glass shards in his articulation, without having to fear that it might break like burnt wood. The same goes for his elbow and shoulder. Which was a good thing, it allowed him a bit more mobility, but still not enough to easily put a glove on. After a bit more effort, he finally succeed and use his teeth to repeat the feat for the other glove.

"I really look forward getting to this damn school, finally being allowed to use some _wonderful_ magic for this kind of things"

He let himself collapse on his bed. He still had to wait until 4:30 am. Searching in his pocket, he got out a letter written on a piece of parchment. He had already read it multiple time, memorized it, but his book were already in his luggage and he had nothing else to do.

_Dear Kaien Arisawa,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Due to the special circumstances surrounding your case, you will undergo an entrance exam shortly after the begin of the term to determine your level. According to the results, the school's library will provide you the books you will need. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary equipment._

_Yours sincerely_

_Minerva McGonarall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

_Hogwart School of Witchcraft ans Wizardry_

_Uniform_

_Students will require_

_Three sets of plain work robes(black)_

_One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One winter cloak (black with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags_

_Other equipment_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_Parents are reminded that first years are NOT allowed their own broomstick_

_Yours sincerely_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Privision._

Naturally after having re-read the letter, Ichigo's first reaction was;

"Shit ! The phials !"

He craned his neck to look at his luggage now resting on his side, down on the ground. He stared at it during several seconds as if he would see any evidence of the said phials being broken.

"Whatever. With a bit of luck, my _plain pointed hat_ will be damaged enough so that I won't have to wear it. Seriously guy ! A pointed hat ! I should have got a cat and a wart on my nose ! This is so cliché !"

* * *

"Good morning Tom!"

" 'Morning Kaien. As early out of bed as usual I can see"

"Yeah, as usual"

Ichigo hadn't told him that in fact he _usually_ woke up two hours, if not more, before he get downstairs. He went to the nearest table and began to put down the chairs.

"Stop that, I won't make you work your last day here. Come over here, I'm making some coffee."

They had a deal, Ichigo was helping him opening and closing the tavern, so cleaning the tables, putting up or down the chairs, etc., and he only had to pay for his room. The young wizard still didn't know why the place's owner didn't use magic for that kind of stuffs. Of course sometime some overzealous customers had complained about Tom _exploiting_ an handicapped _kid_. And every damn time, Ichigo had calmed them down, using the fact he was already seventeen hence mature enough not to be used against his own free will and that if he can't heal his arm he better learn to work with it. But now that they knew his injury was incurable, Ichigo get pity from the customers... he don't know which is worst.

"So, how does it feel?" Tom asked, pouring the both of them a cup of coffee.

"Huh?"

"Going to Hogwart of course! I remember the first time I saw the castle. So huge, so magnificent. It was quite the spectacle ! But I won't spoil you the fun, you'll see it soon enough"

"Well, I'm thrilled of course, but I don't realize all the consequences yet" Ichigo drank a small sip of hot coffee. "But I'm going to learn magic, how could that be boring?"

"Sure. You got everything ready?"

"Hmm... I'll get the taxi at 5-5:30 am. I really don't want to miss that train."

"You better not. Two students missed it, like … three years ago I think. Didn't end well. They weren't injured, thank god, but it created quite the ruckus."

There was a silence, during which they only drank their coffee.

"So, you'll come back for Christmas?"

"I'll have my bed and food for free at the school, like hell I'm coming back here to work!"

Tom just laughed at the soon to be student's answer as if it was expecting it.

"Well Tom, thanks for the coffee, I'll... go upstairs to get my stuff ready."

He put his still half full cup in the sink, and without waiting for an answer he climbs the stairs.

"_Damn old man, why do I have to miss you too?"_

Ichigo waited to be in his room, the door locked before wiping his tears.

* * *

So, here you are!

As I said, many things have been left unexplained, for example; Why did Ichigo lied about his name and age... So if you didn't understand everything, don't worry, it'll be explained later.

An important point in his chapter; the wand buying part. Many of you will maybe ask; why this one ? That's a good question, and the only thing I can tell you is that I was against giving him a Therstral tail hair. It's true that Therstral have a special connection to death, hence shinigami, but at the core, Ichigo is still human.

See you soon!


	8. Hogwats Express

At last, sorry everyone for the "little" update time. I know I promised you a weekly update, but I'm afraid that won't be possible anymore...

So now, Ichigo heads to Hogwarts! But before:

**Killroy225:** The transition was made to be abrupt, to keep up a good pace, and don't worry, I plan on doing a lot of Flashbacks to explain everything. As for dear Tia, well, who knows... (devilish grin)

**Danny Phantom Phanatic:** Thank you. As for the burned arm, in fact, yes, his hollow powers should have been able to heal it completely...

**asredwer:** Don't worry, Tia will come back. As for the answer, I'll be giving some hints right in this chapter(but I'll also add several questions...)

**herseybarrules: **Don't worry, there's none!

**Grisia: **For the part of Ichigo being handicapped, see that this way: He will be able to kick ass with only one arm!

Of course thank you for reviewing, thank you very much.

And thank you anyone who's reading my fanfic

Now, the chapter, enjoy

R&R

* * *

Hogwarts Express

"_Platform 9 ¾, okay so according to Tom, it should be behind this pillar"_

Ichigo had been looking at _this_ pillar for five good minutes, and had went round it three times. There was nothing _behind _the pillar. Good thing he came early. Firstly he had at least two hours before the train's leave, and only a few people will think he's crazy, staring at a plainly boring pillar.

Refraining to rub directly his eyes, - he didn't want to make his make-up for the third time this morning, he rub his eyebrows, and forehead, trying to erase the tiredness and ease his growing headache. As he didn't see anything, he "felt" it. He perceive it with something he can't describe without using the concept of "sixth sense". It was strange, but not unknown to Ichigo. It was reiatsu.

Normally he couldn't be able to sense something that faint, now he understood that it was his own reiatsu that was confusing his own sense. No wonder Zaraki Kenpachi sucks that much at reiatsu reading and that his lieutenant, Yachiru, while usually quite efficient in that domain, can't sense anything pertinent when she was on her captain's back.

"_So, suppressing my power that much does have some advantages... 9 months ! 9 months and I noticed that only now... Damn it!"_

He would have to train this new sense. It was one of his weakest point before. Now it had to change. Had he been a little more perceptive, he would have been able to grasp Byakuya's true power when they first meet, idem with Ulquiorra. He would have sensed Noitra coming right after his fight with Grimmjow.

He got up and came near the pillar. The surprise was already spoiled when, as trying to lay his hand on the bricks, Ichigo saw it disappear through the apparently solid material. The reiatsu emitting from the pillar was not Shinigami, nor Hollow, nor even any mix between those two. This was how magic felt. More discreet, and somehow, purer.

He grabbed his luggage and scanned the area a last time. Even though the station could not be described as empty, since he got down the magical bus -a horrible experience, but sill better than the dangai with the Kototsu- no one seemed to care about the wizard teenager. Maybe Ichigo was not yet used not to be stared at because of his hair. Then he went through the wall.

"This is ridiculous"

The mighty wizarding society of England, where nearly everyone can kill with two word, mend a broken diamond with one and heal almost everything with a few potion and a good night's rest, choose, to lead their children, their future, to the great Hogwart, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to use a steam train. The portey exists, a magical item that can make you travel all around the world, a whole Floo network exists. If they really wanted to have a train. The goblins does have some magically powered wagon. Or a modern electric train would do the work too. But for the love of the soul king, why a slow, overly visible, red, steam train?

Ichigo was sitting next to the red lantern. He was looking at the landscape, the mountains, green plain, and rails, everything seemed to be fleeing from him. It was noisy here. Noisy and cold despite the clear sky.

He could have picked any compartment he had wanted. The train had been empty when he had climbed up. Instead he had come there directly, for one thing; it was calm. Well... it had been calm until:

"You can't sit here, Kaien"

"You seem to be wrong, I have found that it's quite possible for me to sit here."

"_**Don't argue with her, just kill her!**"_

The murmur was faint, weak in his head. His tiredness affected That as much as him, even more maybe. As the months have passed That had become less and less present, less talkative saying one or two sentence a week, but That was still as hateful as ever.

"_**Don't ignore me you wimp! Push her down the train and say she slipped on a soap! Better ; slip on the soap together!**"_

"You know what I meant. You're not allowed to sit here."

"Just get lost Granger!"

Flashback

Beginning of the Easter vacation.

"My parents are living in London, near here, so I decided to drop by, to see how you are doing and see if I can help with your catching up. That's the least I can do"

Hermione and Ichigo were quietly sitting at the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, enjoying an ice cream. It was the second time this week she had come, asking if he had free time to eat an ice cream, so he decided to ask why.

"I didn't save you to have you in my debt, Hermione."

He took another spoon of ice cream.

"Beside, don't you have school?"

"No, I'm on vacation now, for a few more days. The tournament is giving me a huge headache so I decided to leave Hogwart behind for a while."

Ichigo nodded but said nothing. Nearly everyone was talking about the Tri-Wizard tournament. It was some sort of contest between three magical schools. Although Hermione didn't seem to enjoy it much, Ichigo would have liked to be in her place. Not for a chance to participate of course, but to see what wizards were capable of. Reading feats is good, but seeing them is better.

Beside, this tournament, more than being the first until since a good hundred years, had four champions instead of three. Which promised surprises, good hopefully, but also bad. And since it involved the famous Harry Potter, Ichigo had a feeling that nothing good would get out of that. It was too much to be a coincidence. The Boy-Who-Survived being mysteriously and against all rules enrolled in a dangerous tournament. How is that possible he was the only one to be suspicious?

"I've already read several book about your history, of the magical society of England. Grindelwald and Dumbledore, the Boy-Who-Survived and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who. For the first two ones, the stories were very... elusive. As the other, the "Boy" is well known to be Harry Potter, but the other, the dark lord, his name is very carefully avoided."

"Well,... his only known name is more like an alias. His real name, I don't know it. Not many people does although..."

"And now, you're avoiding it too..."

Ichigo leant back in his chair, his ice cream finished. He was looking straight in Hermione's eyes.

"This dark lord has been defeated, hasn't he? Why do you still fear him?"

"This is not that simple! Look, my parents are muggles, I only learned about the magical world when I was eleven years old. Everybody feared him then, everybody fear him now. Even my classmates who never actually know him."

"Was he that powerful?"

"Only Dumbledore is more powerful than him, and he's the greatest wizard alive. Plus the Death-Eaters were also feared, because they used dark magic"

"From what I read, dark magic is really effective in combat situation, Why didn't the Auror use their own weapon against Death-Eaters?"

"Some of them did, the most brutal, but what good will it be if we sink down their level to beat them ?"

Ichigo let out a little sigh. These wizard were so naïve! Granted, the Shinigami were as tolerant concerning the whole "having hollow power" problem as the wizard were about Dark magic. But at least shinigami have Kido, "Demon art", while the wizard categorized every mildly dangerous spells under the name of Dark magic, hence forbidding it. But he was in no position to judge them, yet. After all he didn't know anything about their history. True, he read several books, but living things are different from reading them.

"You were lucky he was defeated,... by chance" he stated. Unfortunatly, Ichigo, now known as Kaien, was not someone who simply stand down.

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione didn't noticed his sigh, but what he just said, and its hidden meaning, just angered her.

"I may respect your decision regarding the Dark magic, in wrong hands it may be very dangerous, that's true. But you fear this dark lord to the core, even more than ten years after his death, What would happen if you were to face him ?"

"But..."

"And while dark magic is dangerous, you must use it because it's dangerous. It's no use fighting with a bokken someone who use a real sword."

"You didn't see what dark magic can do. You can't understand how evil the dark magic is."

Ichigo got up, left several silver coin on the table and begin to make his way back to his room. It was enough. Comparing dark to evil, using such a patronizing tone, she was the one who don't understand what she was talking about.

"Kaien, wait!"

Ichigo had no intention to. His lack of sleep was weighting heavily on his mood. All he wished for now was being left alone. Unfortunately Hermione seemed to have an other idea in mind. Even if he was ignoring her and her call, she was still following him, making a mess calling him every fifth step.

He had hoped she would give up the moment he begin to climb the stairs to his room, but instead she took the opportunity, once they were at the first floor, out of sight, to grab his arm. His right arm.

She surely noticed him not moving his arm, but due to the glove he was wearing, she knew nothing about his injury. But that didn't help making the pain any less burning. Clenching his teeth, Ichigo freed himself from her weak grasp, but she went too far this time.

He grabbed her by the neck, lifted her from the floor and pinned her against the wall.

"Listen and listen well, Granger Hermione. I'm very well aware that here I'm a stranger. But you don't know me, so don't presume understanding me. And above all, don't even think of comparing dark and evil in front of me ever again."

He let her fall on the ground, choking. He glared at her, as she was looking at him, fear in her eyes. After several seconds, he turned away, entering his room.

"You don't have to come back, Granger"

End of Flashback

Ichigo turned his head toward her. She was already dressed in his wizard uniform. Fortunately, she had the common sense not to wear the stupid hat. What catch his eyes was the gold glow on her chest.

"Prefect huh ? That shouldn't surprise me... I'm sure that it'll make you a pain in the ass, more than before that is."

"Prefect's purpose is not to bother people, but to make sure they follow the rules."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever... why don't you go make people follow the rules elsewhere?"

"You don't have to be so rude, Kaien."

"Coming from the one who didn't even say "Hello" before scolding me, I found it... unconvincing..."

"Well, pining people against a wall with no apparent reason can also be described as rude" Hermione retorted, crossing her arm aver her chest.

"Now that you are prefect, go check if it's not against the rules to be so narrow minded!"

That settle it. With a little "Humpf", Hermione just turned and got away, closing the door behind her.

"**_Che! Wimp!_**"

***(Scene-break)***

"These wizards must really have some serious mental issues" Thought Ichigo as he was waiting in the middle of the dinning hall.

First, the train, well he already went over that. And then the carriages, after all if they wanted to stay in middle age, that's their choice, but what's their problem with the horses. Do they want the kid to be traumatized ? Ichigo already have seen several hollows, Zaraki, Ulquiorra, so a few winged zombified horses won't scare him. But what of the other, innocent, younger, children?

And then he arrived at the school. The castle was huge, nothing compared to Las Noches of course, but impressing nonetheless, for ten seconds. First a castle is a defensive structure, not a school. Well maybe that came from the time it was build, -middle-age-, when the wizard had to defend themselves against beasts and non-magical folks. And heating that thing must be a nightmare.

After that he had to wait in the antechamber of the dinning hall. He should have crossed the lake with the first year. "Of course, and no one bothered warning me about this little detail?" It was the deputy headmistress who reprimanded him. Professor McGonarall looked very strict, not someone to mess with.

And now, he was listening to a old hat's song, well, listening... he was dozing behind several rows of first year while the hat was singing. His height made him stand off, so of course at the beginning nearly everyone was looking at him and whispering about him, but when the Sorting hat was brought to in the Hall, all attention shifted to it, and everyone fell silent. And Ichigo nearly fall asleep.

Ichigo doesn't exactly have a "short attention span", but there are things that bother him to no end so he didn't even listen to them. The Sorting Hat's song was now part of these things.

"And now, before the sorting of our new, fresh, first year students, I would like to introduce a special student this year. Kaien Arisawa, please come forward."

At the call of his alias, Ichigo took several seconds to wake up and react. Now he was sure that all attention and gaze were upon him. "_Great_" he thought as he began to make his way through the soon to be first year. Fortunately, in a way, they were so impressed and afraid by his stature that they immediately jumped out of his way.

"Mr Arisawa recently moved in England for personal reasons. Even though he may still be a bit unaccustomed to the cultural and language difference, I expect you all to treat him respect"

Ichigo nearly froze at these word. It was the second time he saw this man, and he was already getting on his nerve.

"My english level may not be native, but it's still fairly good, thank you" Ichigo mumbled below his breath _"As for the cultural difference, with a 9 month drill, I've grown accustomed, to a certain point. And why didn't you just told them that I moved from Japan following my parents. It would have explained the reason and my origin. Now everyone will.._."

"Please, sit" Said the professor McGonarall, pointing the stool while lifting the hat with her other hand.

Ichigo did as asked, making huge effort not to glare at the headmaster. Now he understood why his introduction was so full of holes. Dumbledore didn't want anyone to really understand who he was, where he came from, and why he was here. This way, everyone would come to Ichigo, asking thousand of questions. The old man couldn't get all the answers, Ichigo suspected him to have send Granger -was she willing or not, aware of being used or not-, who also failed, so now the whole school will be on his back.

"_Well at least that should keep me on my toes,... and in bad mood_" Ichigo though as the Sorting hat was placed on his head, low enough to hide the upper half of the first year, and everyone else, from his view.

After several seconds, Ichigo heard a voice in his head. That made him tense, and the fact that he didn't recognize the tone, and that it was speaking in English didn't help at all.

"Well, color me surprised, Ichigo Kurosaki, I think you will have to explain yourself..."

* * *

Et voilà!

I know this chapter doesn't give any answers and poses several new questions. I was wondering: Do I give them the chapter like this, or do I make it a bit longer?  
As you see, I decided to take the first option. This way it'll add a little cliffhanger.

**For the next chapter: **I promise you the sorting (you can make prediction, but my mind is already set), a first Flashback (It'll go a bit off the tracks), a meeting with Dumbledore, and a second Flashback (You will finally know how Ichigo learned about Wizard!)


	9. Voices, strangers, and professors

Hello everyone!

First of all, Happy new year! I'm a little late I know...

And sorry to have taken such a long time to update but with personal problems and exams...

BUT, you're not here to read about myself SO about the story:

Thank you everyone, reader, reviewer, follower and favoriter(the last one sounds weird...). Now I just want to clarify some things, some questions I'vre read in the review, and some other I had in my mailbox.

First; I won't be calling Ichigo's hollow Shiro, Shirosaki, Hichigo or Ogichi. I know some called him that way and I respect their descision. That adds a little something to the character, -It's easier to like (or dislike) someone with a name-, and it make the reading clearer. But I'd like you to remember one thing ; "You asked me who I am, but I don't have a name!" (Bleach chapter 166). So, in this story, Shiro won't have a name. When I'll mention him, I'll make it clear, or for exemple use "That" with the capital 'T'. Of course not giving him a name does have something to do with the storyline, but you'll learn that later...

Secondly; I'm basing this story on the books of Harry Potter(and not the movies) and the scan for Bleach. My reason for Harry Potter is obvious as the movies skip a lot of elements that figure in the book. And for Bleach. I'll be honest, I've watched the anime roughly until the fight Ichigo vs Ulquiorra(the last one) and I also searched and watched for Ichigo vs Aizen(just for the "That's all you've got?" and the Black Coffin's incantation). But I won't mention Bleach's filler. I've watched the Bount, and a small part of the Reigai. The ideas may be good, but that's just spectacle with no logic and complitely incoherent with the rest of the storyline.

Thirdly; I may be repeating myself but; fourth book and chapter 388. That's the story so far. That's also why Ichigo arrived in england more or less in decembre (Karakura's battle happened in november I think). And that also why Harry fifth year won't be the same as in the book(With Ichigo in the school that shouldn't be difficult), and the winter war won't end as in the manga (By the way, sorry for all the butterfly lover, but Aizen won't turn into one, it may be a spoiler for my story, but I just wanted to warn you). Also some part of certain character's past. I don't want to spoil anyone but I really don't like chapter 525 of bleach. So I'll make some little change, and if you have any question, feel free to ask.

Forthly; As you already noted, during the previous chapter, I skip the hat's song for one reason; it's the song from the book, no more no less. I don't really see any need to just copy-paste this song, and no reason to change it. I'll do the same with every part that is just taken from the book. I'll sumarize it, and give the extra character's reaction, but I won't copy-paste them. That leads us to the famous Harry-Umbridge argument, which won't be the same as the argument in the book

**Uquiorra** -I think you should stop here.

**Me** -I agree Fourth, the fourth point is always a good moment to stop.

(Okay, poor joke apart...)

Concerning this chapter; As you may have noticed, it's a bit longer that the last ones but I've kept my promise ! Also I've added a small surprise at the end so **DON'T SCROLL** all the way **DOWN**, if you don't want to spoil this surprise. Little hint: Ichigo would have been lonely by himself in this huge castle without another Bleach character (you can take bets)...

So, read, enjoy, and review!

See you!

* * *

Voices, strangers, and professors

"Well, colour me surprised, Ichigo Kurosaki, I think you will have to explain yourself..."

That voice. Ichigo was sure, it didn't belong to his Hollow nor his Zanpakuto, although it have some similarities. The calmness and even tone.

"_Who are you?_"

Ichigo was already used to speak to Zangetsu in his mind, so he asked, this way, the first question that had occurred to him.

"The current Headmaster did warn me about some _special_ student due to come this year. If my memory is good, the student's name was Kaien Arisawa, and trust me my memory is infallible."

"_Well, I am..._"

"I know as much as you do, Ichigo Kurosaki, that your real name is not Kaien Arisawa, so do not try to fool me."

Knowing that it was no use trying to deceive the Sorting Hat, Ichigo just didn't say anything, shifting from an innocent to a serious attitude. Somehow the magical Hat knew about his true identity, now he must find a way to convince the Hat not to tell anyone.

Finally after several more seconds of silence, the Hat went on.

"So, what buisness does your kind have in this school?"

"_My kind, what... ? Oh that's just great ! Things just went from bad to worst !_"

Realizing the Hat should have heard him, and that he was still waiting for an answer, Ichigo decided to ask his own question.

"_Tell me, isn't your role to look inside me and sort me in one of four houses ? No one mentioned the trial._"

"Normally I should look into you, but somehow I am blocked outside, so I only get what you'll give me. As for the... trial, as you are one of the first non-human to be presented to me, I must make sure that you will not be a danger to the school and his inhabitants."

"_Blocked outside ?_" At least, the Sorting Hat won't have to meet the rather unstable inhabitant of his inner world.

"_I came here to learn magic, not to harm neither the students, nor the staff._"

Ichigo though for a moment, if the Hat was only able to see what Ichigo chose to show him, now, the soon to be student had the upper hand. Closing his eyes his brought back some memories from the back of his brain.

"_Let me show you some materials for you to use to sort me, and maybe you'll find a reason not to spill my secrets_"

Ichigo; number one protector. Since he had promised his mother he will protect her, he had trained harder during his karate session. Naturally his sisters had fallen under his vow to protect, as well as his friend, though Tatsuki didn't really need his help... then.

Always he had pressed everyone that his name didn't mean "Strawberry" and always he had tried to protect everyone. So he showed the Hat his trainings at the dojo, also the duels with Tatsuki, even if none of them were won by him. His fights against thugs, to defend a ghost or a living person. A swift image of the school ranking also passed through his mind.

Ichigo knew himself, his character and he didn't see himself in Ravenclaw at all, but who knows! From what he had read, Griffondor was the most fitting house for him. It was the house of the courageous. And a lot of people often described Ichigo as a courageous person, even if the exact word they used was "reckless". But it was up to the Hat to decide.

Avoiding to show anything too personal, his mother's death, his family. He soon concentrated uniquely upon his fights, he showed his fight to protect Chad, the ones opposing himself and Renji, both of them, although stopping the first one right before Byakuya intervened. The definitive release of his shikai, - the Hat already seemed to know about Soul Reaper so why hide?-. And finally the defeat of Ikkaku Madarame.

Ichigo's intention were simple. He wanted to show the Hat three things he held dear. His will to protect, the power he got to do so and what happened to anyone standing in his way.

But though he wanted to give a clear warning, he didn't want the Hat to get scared of him, that would prove to be really unproductive. Never had he hurt anyone not deserving. And while brute force was his main method of fighting, never had he used free violence. So the first thing he made sure was not to show was the fighting performances of his inner demon.

"Well mister Kurosaki, I can see a lot of courage a, mostly unused, keen intellect. Yes, of course. A great traumatic event in your childhood too, regret, guilt. You kept hidden a lot of things though, but let me tell you, you're one of the most brutal person I ever met, so..."

The sorting hat never had the chance to finish his sentence as he was interrupted by a third person. More precisely a second voice in the soon-to-be student head.

"_**YOU CALL THAT BRUTAL ? YOU STUPID OLD RAG, I'LL SHOW YOU SOMETHING BRUTAL!"**_

Brutality, but also blood and violence.

Images of some of the last hits on Zaraki Kenpachi flew through his minds, filled with insane crackles. They were rapidly replaced by the intervention of his hollow during his fight against Kuchiki Byakuya, cutting mercilessly through the sixth division's captain while laughing like a madman. And finally -Ichigo didn't sense it coming, right now he had no control over the souvenirs his hollow was calling, he simply knew where his hollow was leading them- the slaughter, there was no better words for it, of Ulquiorra Cifer.

He had already seen the result of his barbaric massacre, he was sometime haunted by the images in his sleep, but now it was different. For the first time, the ex-substitute soul-reaper witnessed what he had done to the fourth Espada. Not only with his eyes, but also with his guts. The insatiable need of feeling his blade being slowed down by the flesh of the arrancar, the intoxicating smell of his blood in the air, the sweet sound of his arm being ripped off, he felt them now, enjoyed them. And above all, he felt a great, endless pit in his soul. A pit nothing could fill except tearing apart his opponent.

But even when his target was already half dead, his body mangled and mostly blown away, Ichigo still wanted more. The last image he saw, through the holes of his hollow mask, was the tearful face of Inoue Orihime, and as he was looking at her, distorted word came out of his mouth. "_**I will protect you."**_

As the images faded away it took several seconds as well for Ichigo and the Hat to react. The teenager was trying to calm down his breathing and heartbeat rate and the Hat mumbled unintelligibly before finally speaking.

"Indeed, a very strong will to protect anyone you care for, to grow stronger, and to win,... whatever it takes... SLYTHERIN!"

Ichigo didn't have to wait long before the hat was removed from the top of his head returning him his sight. As he expected, everyone was looking at him and as the whispering died down, the green table began to applause, shyly. Ichigo promptly got up, shoved his left hand in his pocket, gave a quick nod at the deputy headmistress and made his way to his "house". Everyone must think, because of his stance, that he was trying to act cool, but unknown to all, his hand was shaking and he already felt his nails digging in his flesh despite his glove.

"Took you long enough Kaien!"

Ichigo look down at the silver-blond wizard.

"Well, good evening to you too, Drago."

-**Flashback**-

"Ow,... sorry"

Ichigo forced himself to outer a small smile and say:

"Nope, it's okay, no harm done"

Instead of "_I know it may have looked totally harmless, but I'm still gonna mope this wall with your face!"_

Forcing his murderous thoughts down, and trying to think of something else than his burned, painful, arm, he got out of the bookshop, a stack of book under his left arm. He had had a long day at "Flourish and Blotts", where he had found a small job to pay a part of his school supplies. His night had been short, shorter than usual and he nearly jabbed his eye this morning while doing his make-up. And now someone bumped into him, sending his right shoulder hitting a wall.

Why always his right arm ?

"_...Bloody Granger..._"

Unfortunately, Ichigo was too busy grumbling about Hermione and her manners to notice someone coming out of an other shop, right in front of him. Result: Two men falling on the ground, books scattered around them and a load of japanese insults and complains. The good point is that all tiredness had disappeared, excessive pain was indeed a good remedy for that. However after a few seconds to catch his breath and calm himself, Ichigo could mutter a nearly not entirely insincere.

"Sorry sir, my fault."

Ichigo began to gather his belongings, with a shaking hand.

"You must be Mr Arisawa, aren't you?"

Suddenly stopping, his frown deepening, Ichigo finally looked up to the owner of this honey sweet, full of self confident voice. While dusting off his sleeve, his stance and eyes were proud, noble, cold, not unlike Kuchiki Byakuya with his "better than thou" attitude. Well, lacking one whole century worth of experience of course.

"Well..."

"I'm working at the ministry, and I still got some contacts within the Hogwarts governors' board. You, as well as your transfer is well known there"

"_That explains."_

"Ok, and you are...?"

"How impolite of me,..."

He extended his hand.

"...Lucious Malfoy, a pleasure to meet you.

**-Flashback End**-

"You know, the Hat immediately sorted me in Slytherin as soon as it touch my hair" The young Malfoy said, without even trying to hide his pride, while he was shooing his right neighbours to make place for Ichigo.

"My holidays went perfectly fine, thanks for asking, how about yours?" Ichigo took the recently freed place and looked around him. Already he had identified Drago's "bodyguard", one of whom he had taken the place, and the other sitting at Malfoy's left. And on the other side of the table several several persons seemed fascinated by Drago's speech, but also couldn't prevent themselves from staring at Ichigo.

"I'm wondering why they even bother putting this old filthy thing on my head. Of course, I'm a Slytherin ! I wouldn't possibly have been sorted in an other House !"

"Well, the Journey went smoothly, a bit cold, could've been perfect if not for Granger..."

"Granger?"

"_Finally got your attention..."_

Ichigo took his time removing his glove with his teeth, inspecting it to find little cuts where his fingernails were, and placing it just beside his plate before answering.

"The newly appointed Grinfondor's prefect found appropriate to bother me about the fact that apparently, I wasn't allowed to sit where I was sitting."

Their reactions were indeed funny. Both of the bodyguard were still processing what they heard, concentrated frown on their face. The others let out several different outraged exclamations. And Malfoy sat a bit more straightly, lifting his nose and proclaimed, using the same sure and confident tone he would use if he was enunciating an universal law.

"You may not be a Malfoy, but you are a family's friend, and moreover a Slytherin. A Slytherin sits wherever the fuck he wants. And if Granger decided to mess with my friend,..."

He pulled a bit on the prefect's insignia decorating his chest, making it reflect the candles' light.

"...I'll mess with hers."

"_Great, a student war, just what I needed!"_

As the group broke into discreet, sufficient, laughter Ichigo let his eyes glide over the room. Everyone else was listening to Dumbledore, and an other professor, entirely dressed in pink, just finished talking about an extra professor, arriving tomorrow, to help her teach the "defence against the dark art". And when his eyes returned to the table, plates were full of food, and his fellow students were already helping themselves.

At this time, Drago finally decided to acknowledge the presence of the other members of his group.

"So, Kaien, this fine lady just here is Pansy Parkinson, and those two are Vincent Crabble, and Gregory Goyle. Everyone, this is Kaien Arisawa, a friend of the family."

For all salutation, Ichigo gave a little nod at the three persons before helping himself of some potatoes. After all, even if he didn't want to gather even more enemies, he didn't come to Hogwarts to make friends.

"So you're from Japan?"

"_And here it goes!"_

Ichigo looked up to Pansy before answering.

"Yes, Tokyo."

He didn't want to take any chance. Karakura may be a big city, but Tokyo was bigger, and no one knew him there. Ichigo didn't know to what extend Dumbledore would go to find about his past.

"I didn't know there was a magical community in Japan"

"_It's because there are none, I've thoroughly checked."_

"It's very well hidden, and kept hidden. You know the Fidelus charm ? We have something similar.

"_We call it Onmitsukio. _(1)_ May Soifon and Yoruichi never hear of that, or I may end up dead."_

"You went at school? What kind of magic did you learn."

"_**I've learn how to kill you slowly bitch, wanna me to show you?"**_

Ichigo swallowed his potatoes before answering. So much for not being in the centre of all attention, they were getting on his nerve rather quickly, and That didn't help either. Trying not to show his rising anger he answered with only one word.

"Fidelus" Which clearly mean: _"I won't tell you."_

"What happened to your arm ?

Vincent, finally realized that Ichigo wasn't using his right arm, and ask the question everybody had in mind.

"_Shut up! And let me eat in peace!"_

Seriously, it was difficult enough for him to eat, as he could use only one of his hand. So he was nearly unable to cut anything giving him some resistance, and of course, he ate at a slower pace.

"Accident!"

Apparently the tone of his voice made Vincent, and everyone understand that he wanted to eat quietly. Unfortunately, the only unknown variable took his chance to keep bothering him.

"_**Hey, I think I found someone dumber than you!"**_

"_Why don't you shut up?"_

"_**Why don't you kill yourself?"**_

"_You're awfully noisy today."_

"_**HEY! Do I complain about your behaviour?"**_

"_Every. Damn. Time."_

"_**Did you change? No! So I'll be noisy whenever I want, wimp! Deal with it!"**_

Ichigo let out a small sigh. Looking around him, he noticed everyone was eating, and the group he seemed to belong to now were once again focused on Drago. He spotted on an other table, the one under the gold and red colors, Granger. She was speaking with a redhead and someone with black hair and round glasses. Ichigo had seen him several time in the newspaper, he was Harry Potter. The three of them were throwing glances, from time to time, directly at him.

"_**You better make them stop before I give them a REAL reason to stare!"**_

"_As long as I'm breathing, you won't do anything to anyone anymore!"_

"_**Yeah, yeah, keep saying that five times after each meal, and you'll start believing it. Ow, if you see a shooting star, you'll maybe be able to make this wish comes true!"**_

"_You're getting on my nerve, why are you so energetic?"_

"_**Mmh... I take back what I first said. If you didn't notice, you're clearly not using your brain to think."**_

"_Shut up!"_

"_**Make me!"**_

Ichigo let out an other sigh, and realized the dessert have replaced the dinner. He helped himself of some, and start ignoring his inner demon, or trying to.

"_**You won't be able to run forever, wimp!"**_

***(Scene-break)***

Ichigo finally gave up and opened his eyes. His arm woke him up, around twenty minutes ago, and since then prevented him to fall back asleep. And for causes! He dared not move, because the slightest movement would make his burned skin rub against the sheets, setting fire to his nerve endings. And each heartbeat mercilessly threw molten lead instead of warm blood into the somehow still intact limb's veins. Morning's routine, except for one of his fellow student's snore...

Knowing that waiting more was useless, he parted the bed's curtains and got up. With a slightly shaking hand he put on a short, took his watch, and toiletry and leave the dormitory before he woke up anyone. Once in the bathroom, he already knew it was useless to search for a switch, so he took out a lighter and a candle he "took" from the feast.

Since none of them was low enough for him to catch without jumping, he had had to ask Drago to use an "Accio". Thankfully, a mild glare, help him to get out of this without too much questions at why he didn't use his own wand.

As expected, the candle just stood where Ichigo let go of it, in mid air, floating gently. And finally after struggling for two good minutes with his lighter, he had some light.

"That's it, I'm back in Middle-Age..."

And things get even worse, when he went for his watch to check the time, it showed 8:20. Immediately knowing that he couldn't possibly have slept this long, and that his comrades wouldn't be sleeping at this time -the courses began at 8am-, he concluded that his watch was broken. Or maybe he just should have changer the battery before...

(It's a twelve hours watch, so am and pm are not indicated)

"Why today?"

With a sigh of defeat he brought the watch to his ear, closely listening for any ticking sound. None.

"Great!"

With despite, he let the useless tool fall in the sink and lay his forehead against the mirror, enjoying its coldness on his skin. And then it hit him:

"_... Fortunately it seems providence made that the magical nature of Hogwarts and its ground disturb objects of Muggle's conception, hence protecting the students and teachers from their noxious influences..."_

_Hogwarts, an history_

After picking the watch back, and shoving it in his pocket, he took out his make-up, and ointment. Right before he began, Ichigo lift up his eyes, and glared at Kaien through the mirror.

"I just hate my life right now..."

***(Scene-break)***

"Mr. Arisawa?"

At the calling of his pseudo, Ichigo woke up with a start from the half slumber he had fallen into above his cup of coffee. He looked around him. The other students were also looking at him with various expression, from surprise to mild anger. Finally, he spotted a tall figure, entirely clad in black, a blanc face -but nothing near Ulquiorra's- and greasy black hairs.

"Yes, professor...?"

"Snape. Meet with the headmaster in front of his office right after the breakfast. Drago, here's your timetable."

Straightening his back, Ichigo drank up his cup. Dumbledore wasn't at the breakfast, so he must already be at his office, meaning that if Ichigo didn't want to be late, he must depart now.

"Enjoyed your coffee, Kaien?"

Ichigo didn't look at Drago as he answered.

"Could've been better with a more coffee, more sugar, and less water..."

He chucked lightly at his own joke, and began to make his way out of the main hall

"Hey, Kaien, why do you have an appointment with Dumbledore?"

Ichigo had to try hard to suppress an heavy sigh. _"Thank you, Crabbe for telling the whole fucking school!"_

Indeed, if the hall hadn't fell silent it was just because everyone was now whispering to his or her neighbours, probably about the appointment. Meanwhile, Ichigo successfully acted as if he doesn't give a damn about all the attention he was getting, continued to walk towards the door and waved dismissively his hand above his shoulder.

"Different cursus in Japan. Have to be sorted into one of the year."

Ten minutes later, he was in front of a stone gargoyle, a faint smile on his lips, and a growing headache. Strangely his contentment and his pain were related. As soon as he was outside the main hall, he had found an empty hallway and had closed his eyes. He already knew this technique, he had used it once to find a parrot (bleach chapter 8). Ichigo had to improve his reiatsu sensing skill, and he had no better way to start.

He only visualized the spirit ribbons twice, the first time to find Chad's parrot, and the second to find Zangetsu. And both time, he had needed time and concentration. Maybe with a little training, he would be able to do it more smoothly.

Also he had had no idea where the headmaster's office could be, so when he finally had found his spiritual ribbon, that had proven to be useful. Even if Ichigo had had to stop several time, to search again he finally arrived in front of the gargoyle. His practice, of course was exhausting, as much for his body as for his mind, hence the headache. But his attempt was still successful.

Soon after, the gargoyle came alive, took several steps aside, and froze again as if nothing supernatural had happened. Hidden behind it was a circular flight of stairs and on the first step, a smile on his face, Dumbledore.

_-_**Flashback**-

Ichigo was walking, slowly. To his right was a huge, calm, lake, and his left, a dark and deep forest. He was hungry, but thanks to the lake, water wasn't an issue. The air was cold, the wind wasn't helping and the remain of his shihakusho didn't keep him warm at all. His whole body was shaking, due to the unfriendly temperature, but also due to the pain coming from his right arm.

Two days ago he had begun walking aimlessly and since then, he hadn't slept and hadn't seen anyone. After a little more than one day in the forest, he had found the lake, and spotted the caslte. The building was big, big enough to be spotted from several dozen kilometres, and looked old but well entertained. Hoping to find some there, he made his way toward it.

Never in his life Ichigo had felt so exhausted, so worn out. Cold, pain, and fatigue. Countless time already his bare foot had tripped on a root or a stone and made his head hit the floor even before he noticed falling down. His legs were jelly but somehow he managed to force them to keep supporting him. From an outer viewpoint, he must look like a drunken man with his unsure, random slaloming path. His chest felt painfully constricted. Ichigo couldn't do anything more that take quick small intakes of breath, leaving him in a constant out-of-breath state.

But the worst was the state of his reiatsu. Like a hurricane, the energy inside him was crashing, whirling, trying to explode outwards. Surprisingly, Ichigo was having very good result keeping his reiatsu down. However, restraining his reiatsu was mentally exhausting, and added to the lack of food, his body was weakening by the minute.

Finally, after that the shore turned into a cliff, the forest became more and more sparse. And suddenly Ichigo saw an open space beyond the tree. As he came nearer, he could discern the yard of the castle, a poorly maintained lawn with several slopes and trails. The castle itself was still one kilometres, gives or takes, away, and right in front of him, -Ichigo was now leaning against it,- a five meters tall iron fence.

Ichigo Kurosaki had broken into soul-society through its west gate after defeating the giant gatekeeper, and then a second time, through the shield above the walls inside a cannonball. He also had broken into Las Noches, literally, using the hole in the wall he, himself, had created. And now, he was blocked by some iron bars.

He gave a weak jerk, knowing it was useless even before he tried. This small effort drain him from his remaining energy, and made him collapse to his knees.

"Look at you, Ichigo, look at the consequences of your decision."

Without even trying to suppress the venom in his voice, Ichigo answered out loud.

"No one asked for your opinion."

More than the person speaking, more than the truth his words were giving, it was the -once wise and fatherly- but now nearly patronizing, even tone.

"That I can see as clearly as I can see you giving up now!"

"SHUT UP, ZANGESTSU!"

His zanpakuto did stop to speak, but Ichigo could still feel his discontent, anger and deception. But Ichigo had to give him a point, even if his mind hadn't gave up, his body barely seemed able to move.

At first Ichigo didn't even notice, but slowly his vision was becoming darker, and the pain he experienced subsided bit by bit. But when he finally noticed, he already didn't feel the cold air on his skin and wasn't even able to try to stand up anymore.

"Sorry, everyone."

At the moment those word came out of his mouth, he heard it. A scream, high pitched, double layered, coming out of an other dimension. An hungry, angry scream. A hollow's scream.

"STUPEFIX!"

That shout did not come from a hollow. That obvious fact hit Ichigo's brain strongly enough to make him regain a bit of consciousness. Adrenaline shot through his vein as his instinct was yelling at him to get up. It wasn't fear, it wasn't anger. It was a promise he made long ago.

Gritting his teeth, he got up with renewed vigour. Ichigo didn't have to search for long before he spotted the hollow. Bigger than a human, but small for a hollow. Luckily he didn't look human at all (2). His body looked like a shaven, tattooed gorilla bearing deadly looking claws, and his mask looked like a dog's skull with overgrown teeth.

In front of the monster, waving frantically what appeared to be a short wooden stick, a panicked human girl. She must be more or less the same age as Ichigo, had long, messy brown hair and was wearing a long, black robe. She was using some sort of kido(3). Each time she shout, an odd colored beam shot from the point of her stick. Not that it was really useful. The only effect this magic had was to upset the hollow even more.

"RUN ! GET AWAY FROM HIM !"

Having nothing else to do, being blocked by a god-damn fence, did the second things that came through his mind; shouting at her to run for her life. -The first thing being punching repeatedly the fence.- She heard him, but didn't react as expected. Instead of throwing a quick glance at him and then running as fast as she can -,with maybe a little diversion-, she turned her head, a puzzled expression on her face, lowered her "weapon", and froze on her tracks, completely open.

"WATCH OUT!"

The hollow lifted his clawed, ready to strike and end this pitiful hunt. The prey, this time didn't react at all. She seemed to focus even more on Ichigo, forgetting completely the hollow. Blood sprayed in the air as the claws dug in her back. The strength of the strike send her crashing into a nearby tree. She collapsed on the ground, motionless.

As the hollow made his way toward his prey, licking his teeth with a green tongue, Ichigo was throwing himself against the fence, shoulder first. Strangely, before his shoulder connected, he felt a great pressure nearly crush his body. Not a spiritual pressure, like Kenpachi's, but an actual, physical pressure. And when this crushing sensation disappeared, instead of hitting the iron bars, Ichigo's shoulder landed hard on the hollow's mask.

Instinctively, -questions would have to wait- Ichigo continued his assault, cracking the mask with his elbow. Feeling a counter-attack, he pushed himself away from the incoming claws. Unfortunately, it took him a bit more than a split second to realize he still couldn't use his right arm. And, his left arm being a bit weaker than his right's, he didn't land far enough. A mere inch too close, and four deep, long gashes appeared on his torso.

Ichigo bit back a scream as his vision flashed white with the pain. But without waiting, he strike back taking advantage of his opponent's opening. His punch landed precisely on the already existent crack, and his fist went right through the mask, breaking it completely. With a faint howl, the hollow finally dissolved.

Still alive, having defeated his enemy, Ichigo didn't feel like someone who had won. He pressed his hand against his wound, barely stopping a fraction of the bleeding. Turning towards the wounded girl, he slowly made his way towards her. He more or less collapsed on his knee beside her, barely managing not to completely fall on her. She had a small wound on her forehead which was bleeding profusely. She was to be still breathing, and after having checked, -and leaving two bloody fingerprints on her throat- Ichigo concluded she was just unconscious.

As he was working on an idea to carry her to the castle without fainting himself, Ichigo was hit by a burning pain at the back of his head. He promptly got up, adding a lot of spin to his world's vision, and he only saw a red flash before he blacked out.

Ichigo had woken up about thirty minutes ago. He was in an infirmary, that was easy to tell. It's pretty funny to think that even if Ichigo had been seriously injured several times, he nearly never got healed in an infimary. And regard of his current state, he would have liked to be healed by a cat in a abandoned warehouse.

His whole body hurt, and the only effect the painkiller had was to make him dizzy, and unfocused. He was covered in bandage form his neck to his waist and if his torso appeared to be healed, there wasn't any blood on the bandage there, his right arm remained "burned and dead".

So Ichigo waited, he didn't know how long. He couldn't do anything else. His head was still spinning so he didn't trust his legs to support him. And it was nearly night when eventually someone entered the infirmary. The medic, judging by her attire, and an old man with a long beard. He looked a bit like Yamamoto with a pointed hat, half-moon glasses, and without the imposing aura.

"You're awake? Good, how are you feeling?"

Ichigo frowned and blankly looked at the woman when she came at his side, taking his pulse. He didn't understand what she was saying, and it wasn't because of the debilitating medicine.

"How are you feeling?"

English. She was speaking English. Fortunately Ichigo had learned English in school, but that doesn't mean he was fluent.

"Better... thanks. Where am I?"

The answer came from the old man.

"You're in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, my boy. I'm the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore."

Wizard ? Magic ?

...

Well, after all why not ? Not so far ago Ichigo himself was a substitute "Death God". He had invaded two parallel dimensions, had been fighting invisible monsters, and walking on air. So the existence of wizard might be a surprise, but it wasn't unbelievable.

But now Ichigo had another problem. The headmaster had introduced himself, and now it should be common civility to state his own name. And even if he didn't give his name now, Ichigo knew that eventually he will be asked about his identity. The problem was, that even if he was far away from Karakura, he didn't want the soul-society to find him simply asking for his name. So he would have to use an alias, and he took the two first name he could think of.

The first one was the name of one of his closest friend. And she wasn't known among the shinigamis. The second was the name of a dead man, Rukia's lieutenant. And according to some, Ichigo looked a lot like him.

"Arisawa Kaien,… nice to meet you."

**-Flashback End**-

"I'm impressed, Mr Arisawa."

"_Good for you, I'm dead bored here"_

Ichigo had spent nearly the whole morning answering theoretical questions about herbology, care about the magical creature, potions and other subject Ichigo didn't really cared about. That doesn't mean he didn't study these courses, it's just that he focused a lot more on spell.

And as if the headmaster knew, he only made him practice casting spells for one hour. At the end he successfully cast every spell at the first time, which seemed to impress the old man. Ichigo on the other hand was disappointed. No offensive spell seemed really effective. Of course, he wasn't expecting something as powerful as his "Getsuga Tensho", but none of the spell he knew appeared to be more than a spark compared to Byakuya's byakurai(4). It even make Knonji(5) look less ridiculous. The levitating spell could have been useful but the object was moving extremely slowly. And their only defensive spell "Protego" didn't look like it could block anything more powerful than a weak slap.

"You appear to be a fast learner concerning everything practical, but you're lacking in theory, I'll put you in fifth year. You'll pass the O.W.L. And according to your result, maybe you'll be able to grade directly in seventh year."

"_I don't plan on spending more than one year here, thank you very much"_

"Here, your timetable. You have defence against the dark art as first course after noon."

Ichigo frown as he took the piece of paper. _"Already?"_

"Thank you, headmaster. But,... I was wondering, the teleportation thing I did back then..."

"Transplanation?"

"Yes, when will I learn to perform it consciously?"

"There is some practical courses,... during the sixth year's cursus"

"_Great!"_

_***(Scene-break)***_

"Hello, Drago."

"Hi Kaien, how was your morning?"

They were down the Slytherin dormitory. Ichigo, having lost a lot of time, losing himself in moving stairs, so he just had the time to grab some bread and dry meat before heading to the dungeons. Now he was sorting out which book he will have to take with him.

"Horribly long and horribly boring"

"Well, and in which year are you?"

"Fifth"

"Great! Same as me!"

"I know...

Ichigo froze in the middle of stuffing mercilessly his books into his backpack and lifted his eyes towards Drago, who was doing more or less the same thing, a bit more gently...

"... wait, wasn't Granger in the exact same year?"

It was more a rhetorical question as Drago was spending more than half of his time complaining about three persons who were indeed in the same year as him.

"Unfortunately, and the Weasley, and Potter. The famous "Golden Trio""

"_What a coincidence..."_

"I hope I won't see them too often"

"Check your timetable, mate! We see them in ten minutes in defence against the dark art."

Ichigo sighed

"You got to be kidding me!"

"Nope. And you better hurry up, or we'll me late!" Drago called from the room's door.

"My day can't get any worse..." Replied Ichigo throwing his pack above his shoulder.

"Don't tempt fate!"

"Shut up and lead the way!"

Ichigo had no other choice. He had no idea where the classroom could be and searching for the professor's reiatsu would be really difficult since he didn't had the chance to get a good first reading of it. And it would seem strange for someone who didn't know the castle to find his way without any help.

And during their way, Drago began to do some small talk.

"I wonder who will be the second teacher..."

Ichigo remembered that professor Umbridge had talked about an other professor due to help her teaching, but nothing more.

"By the way, why would there be an other professor?"

"Didn't you listen yesterday?"

Ichigo turned to Drago, frowning.

"Not really"

"Well neither I did. But my father..."

"_Never saw that one coming..."_

"_**Well that seems pretty obvious that the boy is totally... oh wait, was that sarcasm?"**_

"_Glad to have you back, I missed you this whole silent morning!"_

"_**Ow really? Next time I'll bring you flowers!"**_

"_Don't bother with flowers, next time just DON'T COME BACK!_

"_**Che... pathetic!"**_

"...told me that professor Umbridge will be testing and observing the school's staff during the year, and maybe something more important he wasn't clear 'bout that. So she'll need help for the teaching. Someone who will handle the class, and some of her work during the time she will be doing her duty for the ministry."

"So why is this person not the actual professor?"

"Don't know, don't care." Drago simply answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"And does your father told you who will it be?"

"Yes, someone from the ministry. He already taught in a foreign school, competent, hard working. He is liked by everyone in the ministry, so I guess he can't be worse than Lupin."

"_Who the hell is Lupin?"_

He should be one of the numerous professor who had taught only one year. In a way Ichigo couldn't care less. In fact he was nearly happy. Defence against the dark art. Well above the fact that again dark was mingled with evil, the notion of "defence" really called to him. After all it was the only reason Ichigo was still here, to learn offensive and defensive magic.

"Well at least the course seems interesting"

***(Scene-break)***

"Watching grass grow in slow motion is more interesting than this bullshit"

It took exactly twenty seconds to Ichigo to dislike Umbridge. Her attitude, the tone of her voice, and the worse came when she wanted the whole class to chant "Good afternoon professor Umbridge" together. And in five minutes, Ichigo was hating the course. 'Defense Against The Dark Art, A Return To The Basic Principles'. An other title could have been 'Nothing Interesting Inside'. Ichigo had bought it, of course, but didn't have the courage to read more than two page of the first chapter. And as he should be writing the so-called course's aims, he was instead struggling with his non-working pen.

"_Why does this damn thing..."_

Wait...

"Drago does that thing fall under the "muggle technology" term?" Ichigo asked, turning towards his neighbour.

"Yes of course. Why are you using it in the first place?" Drago answered while feigning to write the aims.

"You know what Drago... first, have you ever tried to use a quill with your left hand? And secondly, I'm not tempting fate now. I literally dare fate to make this day any worse."

Before the young Malfoy could answer, the room's door opened quietly. Ichigo assumed it was the second professor. And frankly he didn't understand why the man was so liked in the ministry. Being ten minutes late for the first course and not even being there for the welcoming feast... Since the didn't really know him yet, Ichigo was trying not to judge him to severely, but his first impression of him was nothing promising.

"Sorry Dolores, I, kind of, get lost in the stairs..."

That voice...

At first, Ichigo didn't turn around because he didn't want to give the professor any attention. Since he was late, he didn't deserve any. He even thought he arrived late in purpose to make his entrance that more noteworthy. But as he heard his voice, Ichigo didn't turn around because he was petrified.

He didn't even react when Umbridge with her overly sweet voice answered. Her tone showing that she knew nothing. And her words made this man's entrance, this man's presence looked nearly normal as it didn't just make Ichigo felt like the whole world was crashing down on his head.

"Don't worry, Sōsuke."

* * *

1)Onmitsukio; Special force/ninja for the Sereitei. The founder was Yoruichi, the leader is now Soifon. This unit is some sort of police, taking care of the criminals.

2)Small hollow looking human are Vastro Lorde. The most powerful evolution of hollows and only shinigami captain can take "care" of them

3)Ichigo is not yet aware of the existance of wizard, and magic look like, well... weak, chantless kido.

4)Hado n°4 Byakurai. Kuchiki Byakuya used that kido to pierce Ichigo shoulder. That's the second kido Ichigo witnessed and the weaker.

5)Bleach chapter 27. He's... special. And use as only attack a small reiatsu orb, except from his cane... Of course this attack is slow and complitely useless...


	10. Confrontations 1

Hello everyone!

I was writing lately, on this fanficiton of course, and I noticed it was taking quite long to finish the chapter. I'm pretty sure you also noticed it yourself... and earlier today, I finally finished it. After joy an celebration, I save it an , and surprise ;

This chapter is 3-4 times longer than the other (without counting chapter 9(around 2 times longer)).

So I decided to to something crazy for once : cut this chapter in three. So Confrontations 1,2,3. And post the first one, now, the second, tomorrow, and the third, Sunday! How does it sound?

And now, some answer to the "angry reviewers";(You don't have to read this, it's just some explanatiosn between me and some reviewers ans those who stay silent but agree with them)

**Hornet07: **A) As long as I want, B) Wrong, C) No!

I will begin with the most obvious part, being the foot note of chapter 9, quoting myself ; _"Small hollow looking human are Vastro Lorde"._ The hollow he fought didn't look human, so he wasn't a Vastro Lorde. CQFD. That's not a whim of mine, it's a fact. And about Ichigo being weak... well he killed a hollow bare handed after several days in the cold without eating or sleeping, while suffering from an agonizing pain coming from his useless right arm after he had transplaned into Hogward's ground... and also he was able to lift a 14-15 y.o. girl with one arm... Weak, surely no, weakened? Yes of course.

**Thorndsword:** Obviously you're not reading this, but still for everyone else : I keep the character personality for a simple reason ; we are in . and my fanfiction is about Ichigo. If I wanted to talk about someone else, I would have chosen an other character, if none was to my taste, I would have created one. It's useless, and immature to write a story about a character because he's awesome but change his personality without any reason(because well you're the writer). That doesn't mean that the personality and reactions of the character won't be affected by the events. In other words ; the effect won't precede the action.

And now, answers for all other reviewers which I love (platonically);

In order:

**Lupine Horror: **That's a good question indeed, she would felt three (maybe four) different "magical" signature surrounding Ichigo's body. The questions now are ; is she able to feel them (maybe Dumbledore is), and will she/he trust Ichigo enough to tell him she/he can feel reiatsu?

**Karmadella:** Well, thank you very much. You just motivated me to write even more cliffhangers (insert evil laugh here).

**Demonslayer576: **That idea came to me when I remembered Ukitake mentioning that Aizen was once a teacher at the shino academy. And with Umbridge as co-teacher; the worst duo imaginable!

**killroy225:** Yes, Aizen! But don't be too pessimist! What could possibly happen? They already met two times, and neither of them was hurt... in fact... well they are both still alive aren't they?

**Not-Your-Buisnes**(s)**: **Well I'm happy to see my story had become to intoxicate people ! All according to the plan!

**Grisia:** First, and to everyone, I'm really really sorry I mis-type the name which can lead to confusion. I corrected it, and also the other occurrences in the story to match the wikia : Sōsuke. And then, you are perceptive about the new relation between Ichigo and (Tenza)Zangetsu, and maybe you have also noticed a slight change of Shiro's behavior: before he wanted to take over Ichigo's bady, and now he whish him to die... Answers will come soon ;)

**LaRire: **Thank you! And thank you a second time for you suggestion. I'll make an announcement before the story.

**Reishin Amara: **Well, If I wanted to make a fanfic about bleach that should have been a great idea,(without Muramasa of course, i already gave my spirit about the HS).

And now just before the story start, I'm looking for a beta-reader. If you're interested, just send me a MP ;).

Speech convention:

"Normal"

_"Thinking"_

"(Tensa)Zangetsu" Sometime I underline some word in a phrase, it's not the zanpakuto, it's to emphasize this very word.

**"Hollow"**

**"Hollowed Ichigo"**

/Foreign language(Japanese in England, English in Japan) when speaking out loud/

R&R&Enjoy!

* * *

CONFRONTATIONS(1)

"Don't worry, Sōsuke."

Frozen. And not only because he can't move. Ichigo was completely frozen. His blood turned into ice. And his brain stopped functioning normally. Questions, interrogations, strategies, ideas, plots were rushing together into his brain like a huge crowd trying to pass a tiny door all at once. The result? Nothing. He stood there his mind blank, his eyes fixed on his quill. He had no idea how to react, why that man was here, and how things would turn out now.

"Good afternoon everybody. My name is Sōsuke Aizen and I will be assisting professor Umbridge for her classes at least during this year. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Good afternoon professor Aizen."

The sound of his voice broke Ichigo out of his stupor, and he finally looked up. At the front of the class, standing casually in front of Umbridge's desk the ex-captain of the fifth division of the Gotei 13, the ex-leader of the Arrancar army, and The Defense Against The Dark Art's second professor ; Aizen.

His face was in the "kindest shinigami in the Sereitei" mode. His black square glasses were back on his nose, and his hair weren't combed backward but instead in a scholarly style. Of course he wasn't wearing shinigami's garment, or arrancar's. He wore the standard plain black wizard's robe with the Hogwarts' blazon on the left of his chest, black trousers and white shirt. Loose around his neck was a green scarf -not the slytherin's green, but slightly lighter- trying unsuccessfully to hide his unbuttoned shirt's collar and to finish the character, a dark violet tie also a bit loose.

Elegant and relaxed, that's what his clothes, and the way Aizen wear them, were showing. His introduction was a bit windy and unnatural but his confident tone and welcoming smile just made it perfect. He further gained the liking of the students (except one of course), when they all (same here) answered him in one voice. Aizen simply turned his head towards the main professor, Umbridge, and after a very brief moment, cast his eyes down and appeared thinking. _You made them do this, but I disapprove. _Bad teacher-good teacher strategy, Umbridge most likely wasn't aware of her being part of that. And Aizen can be really convincing in the "good teacher"'s role even without anyone to contrast.

Despite having been taken flat-footed, Ichigo still had warrior's reflexes. At the moment Aizen's eyes left left the room, he was ready to react. His left hand disappeared below his desk, gripping his wand. His look might have changed but Ichigo knew his face didn't. There still was a small chance Aizen didn't recognize him, but it won't last long. The ex-substitute Soul-reaper must take this opportunity, act discreetly, and hope to take the treacherous captain off-guard.

Ichigo wasn't a coward and didn't like to fight unfairly, but he wasn't stupid either. He knew Aizen's strength, and fighting him on even footing won't be possible for Ichigo in his current state. A wordless _Avada Kedavra _would have to do. The spell was difficult to master, and of course he never practiced it, and the headmaster didn't ask him to show it this morning. But this unforgivable curse can kill instantly, leaving the body unhurt, so what else could it affect but the soul?

One spell alone wouldn't do the job of course, after all, the man blocked a bankai's blade with a single finger. So Ichigo didn't want to give Aizen any chance to avoid the first hit, he knew the ex-captain was fully able to take his remaining arm before he finished uttering _Avada._ Hence the wordless magic. Ichigo was just waiting for Aizen to turn his attention away from the class just one more time. And that moment came soon enough.

"Please, don't mind me and continue with your reading."

With these words and a warm smile, Aizen turn around an began to discuss with Umbridge. Ichigo was seated nearly at the back of the class and they were keeping their voices low, so he couldn't hear anything but that didn't matter. The occasion was perfect. The traitor had his back turned to Ichigo, and his attention was on someone else. His stance was relaxed, leaning against the professor desk, but that also mean unbalanced which would lengthen his reaction time. Except from some girls, everyone else was either reading, or trying to make them look like they were reading even his neighbours. So they won't notice Ichigo got up and point his wand to the "professor-assistant" in time to warn Aizen.

Ichigo could hardly dream of a better occasion but for the second time in less than five minutes, he was frozen. He could've sworn that Aizen, before turning around, had looked directly at him for a bit too long. But what was the most bothersome, wasn't the fact that his cover didn't last long, it was the traitor's smile. It was barely noticeable, but the left corner of this smile raised for a fraction of second.

"_He knows who I am, but..."_

But was it possible that he also knew of Ichigo's intentions ? After all he had done, how could Aizen expect anything else than hostility ? And if he was indeed waiting for another reaction, what would it be, and most importantly; why? That simply wasn't possible. It was like presenting a tasty soul to a hollow and hope he wouldn't try to eat it. So why is he consciously opening himself to any attack coming from Ichigo ? A mean do dodge ? Knowing that he won't be hurt ? Knowing that he will be able to fight back whatever happen?

"You're hesitating, Ichigo"

"_I'm thinking, trying not to jump right into a trap. That's different."_

"You've stopped going forward, was your big words just an immature fit?... I'm disappointed!"

"_Hey, Zangetsu, how is your multiple personality disorder going?"_

That shut him up. It had been a long time since he last heard him, but right now, the last thing Ichigo needed, was for his zanpakuto to come again, riling him.

"Act carefully"

"**Act carefully"**

Ichigo's eyes didn't left Aizen's back, but they widen, and his mind left the traitor.

"_What was that?"_

Of course he didn't get any answer, the question was still valid. What Ichigo just heard was hardly more than a whisper, but he was sure that came from his Zanpakuto and That.

And as his mind was nearly overrun by questions, he noticed one of the student with her hand raised. It was Granger, no surprise there... And then, it was clear for Ichigo. Would Aizen and him fight right now the whole class would be involved. And while he knew he would be able to dodge or resist most of the kido he already had seen, the wizard won't, and most of them would be hurt if not worse. And even if they weren't his friends, Ichigo wasn't about to just throw away their life.

So he simply sat back, trying to calm down. Thinking of a way to get the second teacher out of his class. But apparently he won't be able to that quietly. Indeed Umbridge finally decided to notice Granger's hand.

"Did you..." began Umbridge.

"Let me handle it, please" interrupted Aizen with a kind smile.

It didn't took long for Umbridge to mutter something like "Your choice...". And she resumed looking at a file on her desk. But it was obvious to all that she wasn't reading it, and instead listening carefully.

"Miss Granger, can your question wait until your colleagues are finished reading the chapter? So everyone would profit from the answer."

"In fact, sir, my question doesn't concern the chapter, but the course's aims."

"Hum, well..." Aizen raised an eyebrow, looking half surprised, half interested, and turn his head toward the blackboard. He stayed silent several seconds as his eyes travelled left and right multiple times.

"Well, everyone, can I have your attention? Sorry to disturb your reading, but Miss Granger has an important question."

That was totally useless of course. No one was still reading. The only thing Aizen's request did, was to make Granger conscious and anxious of all the attention she was getting.

"Uhm,... there's nothing written in the aims about... using defensive spells."

"Then you must have either misread or misunderstood the two last points, Miss Granger. During this course you will learn when you can use defensive spell, and which one according to the situation."

Ichigo can see Granger's face, but he knew she must be frowning her mouth slightly agape. She turned her head -a movement mimicked by more than the half of the class- and read again the course's aims. But the japanese slytherin couldn't care less about the blackboard. He was currently glaring at Aizen who successfully insulted Granger with nine chances out of ten that she didn't even notice. And even if she did, the bastard had such a kind tone and a caring face that most probably wouldn't be able to dislike him for that.

"Or maybe have I misunderstood your question, miss Granger."

And now he just managed to make her feel silly. Silly because she didn't read the aims well enough, and silly because she didn't ask her question right. And with the girl's respect toward professor (sometime misplaced), there was also a chance that she felt guilty to force a teacher to openly say "I don't understand".

"Uhm,... well... sorry professor..."

"_Witty bastard..."_

"...I...I wanted to ask..."

"When you will be practising defensive spell?"

And now Aizen saved her from embarrassment.

"Yes, professor."

Judging by her tone, Granger was slowly gaining the right state of mind to end up hugging Aizen and getting Kyōka Suigetsu(1) through her chest.

"Practising magic is not planned during this course."

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron exclaimed loudly.

"Mr Weasley, I am not against free speech, but I will have to ask you to raise your hand before speaking,..." Aizen announced with a strong, assured voice, -making everyone understood he was still the teacher- before smoothing it and continuing. "...thank you. And to answer your question: No, you already use and learn plenty of spells in your other courses. Miss Granger, is there something else bothering you?"

She didn't have her hand raised, so Ichigo could only reckon that the look on her face had triggered Aizen's reaction.

"No,... well in fact yes. Isn't the whole point of Defence Against The Dark Art to practise defensive spell?"

"The point of this course is for you to learn to defend yourself."

"But to defend ourself, we must know how to use defensive spells, don't we?"

"Miss Granger, you are a model student, aren't you? Very studious. Top marks at nearly all your classes no matter the circumstances, for instance in your second year and the basilisk incident. I didn't thought someone like you,... might enjoy violence so much."

"N..No, I don't..."

"I know, and I understand what you meant. But while they might have been well intentioned, my predecessors have accustomed you to unhealthy ways of thinking, handling situations, for example by bringing dangerous creature in class. Yes, Mr Thomas?"

"You mean Professor Lupin, right? He was the best we ever had. And the most dangerous thing he brought was just a boggart."

"Yes, just a boggart indeed, that turned into a dementor as well as it could have turned into a vampire, a basilisk or a dragon."

Aizen let his last word sink into the mind of the students. Except for Ichigo, who was imagining what damage can Ulquiorra's second release do in a class full of helpless children(2), everyone was shivering in fear. They had seen a dragon during the first task of the tri-wizard cup, they seemed to realize that just by standing in the class, a Horntail would simply crush, without even noticing, half of the occupants. And of course their second year was still present in everyone's memory.

"And in that matter, the professor you had last year was the worst in my opinion."

"Well, he turned out to be a maniac didn't he?" Said Dean, hotly. "We still learned loads."

"Learned loads, indeed..." The ex-captain voice had turned nearly cold, his smile had disappeared and his face was more serious than ever. "Tell me, Mr Thomas, what was the first thing Mr Barty Crouch Jr taught you?"

Dean was taken aback by the sudden change of the professor's tone, and took several seconds before answering in an unsure voice.

"The Unforgivable Curses"

"And what was the second thing?"

"To... resist the imperius,... which can be really useful."

"Is that all you have to say about it?" Aizen waiting a moment, and as he didn't get any other answer he turned toward Granger. "Miss Granger, you surely know why the Unforgivable Curses are called this way."

"Yes, because it's... forbidden to use them. The sentence incurred is a lifetime at Azkaban."

By her tone, it seemed she just understood. _"Only took her one whole year..."_

"To be rigorous, it's the use on an human being that is severely sentenced, but you get the idea. This man, in the sake of making you learn to resist it, cursed you with the imperius. You said it was useful, well resisting the cruciatus is also useful, should he have taught that too? The killing curse has no counter-spell, but it's still possible to dodge it or block it. Would you also have agreed to try that ? Of course I will not do anything illegal during this course, so I plan for next week to train you to use your wand with your weak hand. And to prevent anyone to cheat I will simply,... remove your other arm."

There was several gasp of shock in the class an even Umbridge stop pretending to read an was staring at his assistant with wide eyes.

"Just a well cast chopping spell, nothing permanent. I am pretty sure Mrs Pomfrey is perfectly able to heal you. Assuming that you can defeat your opponent, retrieve your severed limb and reach the infirmary... before losing too much blood. So Mr Thomas, do you still want to... how did you phrase it?... learn loads? Ready to use magic Mr Weasley? Ready to defend yourself, Miss Granger?"

Once again Ichigo was on the edge of his chair, his hand crisped on his wand, ready to jump up, casting two or three well chosen spells, before toppling the table and using it as cover for the incoming attack. This tension arouse because Aizen was currently searching for something inside his jacket. And, Ichigo assumed he did it on purpose, Aizen took out his wand, slowly, holding it by the tip, and without breaking eye contact with the ex-vizard for an instant. In itself the wand had nothing special, normal length, normal light brown colour. But the "hilt" caught Ichigo's eye. It was green. The same green as the teacher's scraf, and most importantly the same green as Kyōka Suigetsu's hilt

"Now you must understand, you must realize something. This..." Aizen held up his wand making sure everyone was looking at it. His face had gain back some softness, but his voice and stance were carrying all the captain's authority. "... is a back-scratcher. -No one dared to laugh- And a bad one. It's too small to make decent firewood. In the courtyard it makes a good toy, I guess. And I am sure it can save a lot of lives in an hospital. You want me to teach you to use your wand, but do you know what your wand is? I will tell you. It is a weapon, a powerful weapon, one of the most dangerous, fearful and deadly weapon humanity has ever made. The aim of the course? Teaching you to use your brain -he tapped the brim of his glasses with his wand- before using your wand, and making you realize there also are other ways to resolve dangerous situations than blindly waving your wand around. Yes Miss Patil ?"

"It's about the OWL, isn't there a practical bit in our Defense Against the Dark Art's exam? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter-curses and things?"

"There is no need to worry about that. The exam of this year has been changed to fit our program, so it will only be a theoretical exam."

"And what good's theory going to be in the real world?" said Harry loudly, his fist in the air.

"Mr Potter I already warned two of your colleagues, for the whole class order and well-being, not to speak without authorisation. And now, that's my last warning. And for the real world, you still have plenty of time, until the end of your cursus. Plenty of time to learn before it will be asked from you to defend the others and yourself. Until then, avoid dangerous situation, and should one occur, make sure you are near competent people."

"So, until then, we're not supposed to be prepared if we got attacked?"

"As you are clearly not listening to what I say, Mr Potter, can you, at least, tell be by whom you fear to be attacked?"

"_He won't fall for that,... won't he?"_

"Well, I don't know, maybe... Voldemort!"

Ron gasped, Lavender uttered a little scream, Neville slipped sideways off his stool, and Ichigo just wanted to scream in rage. Umbridge, Granger, and Potter, they were all dancing right in Aizen hands and were making no effort at all to escape the traitor's manipulations. Without even looking at her, Aizen motioned Umbridge not to speak, precisely when she opened her mouth. Then he looked thoughtful for an instant before answering.

"You have been told, before the summer's holiday, that a certain Dark Lord had returned, and was responsible for Mr Diggory's death. However, and the ministry would agree with what I am saying, there is currently no proof of those assumptions."

"THAT'S THE TRUTH! I SAW IT!"

"Don't yell, Mr Potter. Only wild animals win argument by barking louder than the others. I don't deny what you saw, I deny your interpretation of it. You saw an infamous Dark Lord, casting the Killing spell at one of your classmate. But I am sure Miss Granger here can give you the name of at least one potion that can modify someone's apparence. So you saw someone who looked like the said Dark Lord, and..."

"But..."

"Mr Potter!" Aizen's voice rang in the classroom, his eyes and tone clearly showing his displeasure toward Potter. "I let you speak until now, so do not interrupt me. As I was saying ; until proven differently, and that is the ministry's opinion about this affair, the Dark Lord named Voldemort did not return. The tragedy that happened during the tournament is the work of an impostor trying to spread chaos. So..."

"But..."

"That's enough, Mr Potter, you will stay at the end of the class. I understand that you are scared, but don't let yourself be manipulated. Your actions, and outbursts are helping a madman to destabilize our society. Also don't forget the Aurors are trained to deal with dark lords should one appears. Now, If any you still have questions, doubts or fears, by all means do not be shy. Just come to me, outside class hours."

Aizen had said the last lines with kind and understanding tone. But what was making Ichigo sick was the line "...do not let yourself be manipulated...". The "teacher" was mocking them, right in front of their noses, and they were in awe in front of him. He had authority, elegance and knowledge but was also kind, helping and understanding. And Umbridge next to him...

"Ten point from Griffondor for interrupting a professor and ten more point for wasting our time, Mr Potter. Now continue your reading, please.

Her voice was sweet, far too sweet. And honestly, Ichigo didn't know what she was trying to achieve, but brandishing a placard with "Love him" and an arrow pointing towards Aizen would have been less effective.

"What a slack, he forgot his spine this morning or what?"

Surprised, Ichigo turned his head towards Drago who had just spoken.

"What?...Who?"

"That Aizen guy, couldn't he just tell Potter to shut up and that You-Know-Who isn't back. Umbridge would have handled the situation that way. Not that 'until proven differently' shit..."

"_You're stupid, aren't you?"_

Ichigo bite down this remark, and suppressed the urge to bang his head on the table. If they didn't even understand what Aizen was openly doing, -the very easy and obvious "good guy bad guy strategy", and how he managed the Potter problem- how would they be able to understated what he was really trying to do, the real manipulation, the real treachery? Ichigo sighed and collected his thought, if he couldn't physically fight Aizen now, he still could fight his influence.

"Yes indeed, she would have used the famous ; "I'm the teacher, your argument is invalid". Are you kidding me ? Just because she's a bitch, people would disagree with her. Aizen used logic, gave a plausible explanation and ended with a far more convincing, "Chill out, I got this". Everyone with even a tiny doubt will rather follow his "wise words", just for their safety, than Potter's yellings."

/And right now, you spoke just loudly enough to hammer down the nails on their coffin. Thank you very much, I don't think I would have been that convincing without your help, Ryoka-kun./

"_Shit..."_

While he wasn't looking, Aizen had moved right across Ichigo's table. A smug smile on his lips, his wand should have disappeared back inside his robe and with one hand casually in his pocket. As he laid the other hand on the table, leaning forwards, Ichigo had already one foot right below his chair, so he could easily get up, and the other against the table's legs, ready to push it against the traitor. The only good point was that now, Ichigo was sure that the traitor didn't have his zanpakuto on him. After all, why would a teacher have a sword ?

/I must say, I am quite surprised. Not to see you here. I am surprised of your reaction. You are more calm, more reflected, far less reckless. Surprised, and pleased. Tell me, am I wrong to presume your wand is still pointed at me?/

/I know better than to trust you, Aizen! What the fuck are you doing here?/

Ichigo's patience was growing thin, very thin and his tone was showing it. Not only he can't tear Aizen to pieces now, but he wouldn't be able to do it between courses, because the bastard would be talking to Potter.

/If you have the whole picture, it'll become quite obvious, so I will let you work that out yourself. Also, you seem angry, don't blame your classmates to be so easily manipulated. It is natural for the weak to blindly follow the strong without questioning his actions and arguments. And I already have played with shinigami's captains, Vastro Lordes, and Espadas, so a bunch of powerless, gutless kids with wooden sticks... Tell me, why didn't you attack me the second I turned your back to you?/

/Because you were waiting for it. I'll strike when you less expect it./ Ichigo answered between his teeth.

/Good, only children have fair fights. You have become less naïve. It is a good thing the loss of your power taught you that/

"_How can he know?"_

Ichigo had to use all his willpower to force his eyes not to widen, and to control his breathing. He was already stiff, but it became worse. And he felt a bit of blood flowing between his fingers as his nails was cutting his palm. Ichigo heard a faint crack. His wand was bending under his grip. He tried to calm down. Breaking his only weapon wouldn't be the wisest move right now.

/Do you really thought you could fool me ?/

Ichigo switched his strategy. Indeed, spiritual pressure and strength won't be able to help him now. Suppressing his powers made sure of that. But his brain could. He leant back a bit more in his chair, tried to relax his jaw's muscles, and let the corner of his lips curve upwards a tiny bit. It was bluff, but if Ichigo showed his false enjoyment a bit too much, it wouldn't work.

/At least, I've tried. But I still got my wand!/

Aizen frowned and thought for three full seconds. And he began to chuckle lightly. Shaking his head he straightened himself.

/Congratulation, Ryoka-kun, you have surprised me one more time. Bluff and lie in a few words with a near perfect body language. Trying to make me believe that you are "concealing your reiatsu", aren't you? I was a teacher, I know the difference between hiding reiatsu, and fighting it down./

/Well, Aizen.../ Ichigo's voice was filled with venom and his eyes with anger. /...can you tell the difference between fighting one's power, and losing it?/

/Idle threat won't help you./ Aizen sighed and pushed up his glasses. /I don't know the matter on which you and your zanpakuto disagree. But how long ago? Nine month since you last used your zanpakuto? And you hope to have perfect control of all your reiatsu? Go on, put all the might of your extraordinary spiritual pressure on the shoulders of those little wizards! Strike me with your "Getsuga Tensho"!/ At that point, Aizen lightly spread his arm, showing both his palms /I am right in front of you, at arm's reach! But you don't trust your blade and mask, and your wand's magic will not harm me. So tell me, how does it feel to be utterly powerless?/

The bell rang and a chair was toppled over.

No student dared to move or speak. Normally the sound of the bell would trigger a huge and noisy mess of children shoving books in their bag, complaining about the course and running away from the room. Instead, now everyone was staring, motionless, speechless, at two persons.

Unable to control himself anymore, forgetting all caution, Ichigo violently got up, banged his fist, still holding his wand, on the table and glared, waiting for an opening, at Aizen.

But Aizen didn't react as Ichigo expected. In fact his reaction was totally uncharacteristic of him. Smile gone, mouth slightly agape, eyes wide, giving his face an expression between fear and surprise, he took half a step back. Less than a second later, he was frowning, lips pressed together and his eyes were gleaming with anger.

"Ten point from Slytherin" He annonced coldly.

"_What!?"_

Ichigo was expecting a kido spell, more provocations or witty remark, but academic sanctions? He was ready to cast deadly spells, and Aizen was just taking points from his house?

/Thank you to be so easily fooled, Arisawa-san. I'm now the good and brave teacher standing up to an aggressive and disrespectful delinquent. And unless you want for half of your classmates to die right here and now,... I win./

As he was speaking, Aizen leant against Ichigo's table, and spoke the last word directly to his face. After several seconds during which they were gazing at each other eyes, -the blue ones were tainted with anger and the brown's with challenge- Ichigo let out a groan full of hatred, grab his bag (he totally leaves his 'Defense Against The Dark Art, A Return To The Basic Principles' behind) and hastily head for the door before doing something stupid.

"Detention, in my office at seven." Aizen called as Ichigo was about to pass the door, and he added. /I really hope we can share a cup of tea./

/Don't count on that, Aizen!/ Ichigo threw back before storming out of the room.

Anger. He rarley had felt so much fury. Aizen was here, in the very place he had hoped to learn to fight him. His enemy was mocking him, playing with him. Aizen should already be well established in the ministry, and in less than one lesson, he already had the students in his pocket. Ichigo had no proof against him, and next to no one would believe him if he began saying than the lovable professor Aizen was in fact most likely worse that this Voldemort. He he didn't lose hope, although he was greatly weakened he might still stand a chance, he had to ! But he certainly won't face an ex-captain in the classrooms, hallways or Great-hall. Hell, last time they fought, an entire city had been nearly levelled and Aizen had been far from out of combat.

But this time, it would be different, Ichigo was no fool. He didn't care if he misses some courses or the dinner. In fact, he was already in the slytherin's common room, digging in his case. Under the clothes, and book hidden in the lining, he took out a little black book.

"Hat'n'clock would be proud of me. Doing weird and dangerous experiences with dangerous tools and scribing them in books"

Emptying his bag before filling it again with other books, spare clothes, and bandage, he then pocketed the black book. Ichigo waited some more minutes, just to be sure that everyone was in a classroom, and got out of the common room, heading to the seventh floor, to a hallway with a very peculiar painting.

* * *

1) Kyōka Suigetsu is Aizen zanpakuto. Before leaving the soul society he stabbed Hinamori Momo, his lieutenant who admire him beyond reason, through the chest.

2)His worst fear may not be Ulquiorra's second release, but it's hard for everybody to accept and admit their worst fear.

I hoped you liked it. A bit of psycological/talk fight. And for those who expected more "action", don't lose hope! There is still two chapters coming shortly!

See you!


	11. Confrontations 2

As promised, the second part.

There was some problems in the chapter of yersterday concerning the underlining words (I apologize)... I hope it'l work better this time!

And now just before the story start, I'm looking for a beta-reader. If you're interested, just send me a MP ;).

Speech convention:

"Normal"

_"Thinking"_

"(Tensa)Zangetsu" Sometime I underline some word in a phrase, it's not the zanpakuto, it's to emphasize this very word.

**"Hollow"**

**"Hollowed Ichigo"**

/Foreign language(Japanese in England, English in Japan) when speaking out loud/

R&R&Enjoy!

* * *

Confrontations (2)

-Flashback-

It wasn't raining, but the sky was hidden behind a thick layer of black clouds. However that didn't prevent the world to appear as clear as under the sunlight. And Ichigo was accustomed to this fact, no matter what happen, there always will be light in this world. Sideways buildings were still there, undamaged, unchanged. They used to be tall and bright, but now they just looked grey and grim.

Curious about his appearance, Ichigo took a look at himself. He didn't change a lot from the outside world, but there still was differences. His outfit being complete for example and the most welcomed was his right arm. It was back at its former state, unhurt, covered by a black sleeve with blood red fur at the wrist. His pale and black-clawed hand was still holding Tensa Zangetsu. He brought his free hand to his face and confirmed his suspicions. Covering his right eyes and forehead, his mask's fragment was still firmly in place. Sighing he looked around him. He didn't come here to learn what he already knew. And a part of what he was looking for made his presence known. His voice was double layered, cocky, and irritating.

"**Yo, King, did ya miss me?"**

Ichigo turned around an glared. On the building next to the one he was standing on, a reversed version of himself. White coat, completely white skin, white hair, white blade and a black mask. His Hollow. Ichigo's eyes were hard, but his face remained straight. And as his Hollow reached for his black mask, -surely to remove it,- the vizard leapt forwards using shunpo. He was fast, really fast, and judging by the lack of reaction from the hollow, faster than him too. Black mask's fragments flew in every directions, shattered by Ichigo's fist. The strength of the hit send the Hollow flying toward a nearby building, followed by a trail of blood.

Ichigo solidified the reishi under his feet, allowing him to sprint on the air. Normally these platforms should have been invisible but the amount of reiatsu Ichigo put in them made them take a blackish colour. As if he was leaving a trail of black footprints behind him. He had to make them resistant, because even without using shunpo, he soon was again right in front of the hollow, before he hit the side of the building.

This time the hollow saw the attack coming, and although he was most likely smiling with all his teeth behind his mask, now that his face was visible to all, his mouth was distorted by a grimace, and his eyes wide. He brought the white Tensa Zangetsu in front of him in attempt to protect himself, only for Ichigo to batter the blade aside with the back of his hand.

A black crescent moon cleaved through the building, cutting it in half, but also forcefully made a inner Hollow crash though several hard walls and glass planes. But Ichigo knew that now matter how thick was the building, it won't be enough to really hurt the hollow. So he disappeared, using shunpo and flickered back into existence several meters behind his opponent. He noticed the hollow was already trying to slow his forced flight down, gathering reishi below his feet, and pressing the black Gesuga Tensho to the side. But he won't have enough time, Ichigo won't give him that time. Lifting his left hand, extending two fingers, black reiatsu began to gather at their tops, rapidly forming a pitch black orb.

When the Cero Oscurias and the Getsuga Tensho collided, the range and destructive power of the explosion forced Ichigo to shunpo away if he didn't want to also get caught in it. He landed on a building below, and watched. The black crescent moon warped itself around the black orb, forcing it to shrink. Unable to withstand the pressure, the Cero divided and two black ray of reiastu shot through the air, both in an opposite direction, and disappeared beyond the horizon. The Getsuga had been pushed back by the violent division of the Cero, forming a circle around a lone, tiny figure in the sky. But now that there was no obstacle anymore, the big and thin black circle collapsed on itself. The phenomenon was completely silent, and even when it was several hundreds of meters away, the raw destructive force surprised even the one who had cast it in the first place. The circular Getsuga Tensho closed itself pinpointing the hollow with nearly as much power that Ichigo had used on Aizen -destroying half a town in the process-, and the precision was such that if Ichigo had stood right next to the Hollow, he would have been unscathed. Finally what was left of the reiastu seemed to be sucked away by the clouds, and a Ichigo saw his Hollow fall.

The impact made the entire building shake, most probably create a small crater, and lifted enough smoke, dust and debris to block Ichigo's sight. He got in a defensive stance, awating his hollow to emerge from the dust cloud. He new his resistance, the hollow should be heavily hurt but resistant, crazy and hateful enough to keep on fighting. Soon enough, a flare of reiatsu cleared the clould and, revealing the hollow. His mantle has been nearly entirely blown away, leaving only a small part of both of the sleeves, -the left one having already fell on the ground- his pant of shihakusho was torn but still there. Blood was flowing from his noise and mouth, making his psychopathic smile look even worse. And except from from a broken nose, cut tongue and maybe one or two loose teeth, he was unhurt.

"**Not so happy to see me..." **the hollow spat along with a small amount of blood.

He tore off the remaining of the sleeve and dusted his pants. Ichigo didn't understand. He broke the Hollow's nose with his bare fist, but wasn't able to even scratch him with a Getsuga Tensho? That doesn't make any sense!

"**What, surprised? Just do something..."**

The boum of sonido was heard as the Hollow disappeared. Ichigo shifted his sword parrying the sword aiming at his throat.

"**...BRUTAL!"**

Ichigo's foot dug itself in the building, cracking its surface even more, shattering the windows. But he stood his ground.

The hollow was faster and stronger than before, but Ichigo had no problem blocking the second blow and dodging a thrust, bending gracefully to the side. Using the obvious opening, Ichigo slashed back, in an upward motion, at the Hollow's arm expecting to cripple him. His blow would lack strength, but its speed would be too much for the Hollow to react. Or should have been. The black blade cut the air an hair breadth away from the white skin.

Taking full advantage of the upper hand he had, while his Hollow was unbalanced, Ichigo struck again. Lifting his sword above his head, and bringing it down at full force and speed. Like before, reacting faster than he should be able to, the Hollow blocked the blow with his own Tensa Zangetsu. However the white blade just slightly changed the way of the black one, sparing the Hollow's shoulder, before breaking in two.

Without giving him the time to retaliate, Ichigo strike again, and again, and again. Growing angrier each passing second. Every time, at the last moment, the Hollow dodged the blade. A big cocky grin was back plastered on his face and he was laughing like a madman when he finally took several steps back. Ichigo did not follow him, keeping his guard up, he was trying to figure out why his Hollow was able to keep on with him.

"**HA! King, always with the straight face? But ya swing your sword with anger, HATE! Do ya think ya can beat ME with..."**

The Hollow didn't finish his sentence as a black daito, flying straight toward his head, interrupted him. Ichigo wasn't surprised when his white doppelgänger lifted his white sword and deflected the black one. But the diversion worked. After a quick burst of shunpo, Ichigo was in front of his opponent, his fist mere inches from his face. The Hollow didn't dodge this time, nor did he dodge the foot in his stomach that drove him to the floor, keeping him pinned down.

Now that Ichigo got his opponent immobilized, he called Tensa Zangetsu back. He didn't know where he got that. He just stretched out his hand towards his sword, feeling a strange strand of reiatsu linking him to the weapon, and "pulled". The blade ripped himself from the ground, flew toward Ichigo and came to an abrupt halt in the palm of his out-strechted hand.

Ichigo's eyes were cold, but his lone golden iris was shining with anger. Above the Hollow's widened eyes, he spun his sword, pointing the tip down, towards the Hollow chest, holding with both hands.

The building shook again, cracks appeared on every wall and no window was left intact.

"**Bastard..." **coughed the Hollow along with a fair amount of blood.

His chest was covered by the pitch black reiatsu still oozing from Ichigo's blade. But it soon dissipated, leaving behind a somewhat burned skin and revealing the tip of a black blade, quietly resting on a white skin.

"_God-dammit"_

Enhencing the blade with a Getsuga Tensho had worked with Ulquiorra, actually cutting his hierro. So why? Why does the blade seemed to refuse to pierce the Hollow's skin, where the sheer strength of the blow was enough to break several of his ribs and damage at least on of his lungs?

The Hollow took advantage of Ichigo's musing, mustering his strength and reiatsu, he swung his broken blade toward his king's throat. The attempt was desperate, they both knew it. Even despite having been taken off-guard, Ichigo had the time to lift his hand and grip the blade. He briefly flared his reiatsu through his hand to disperse the one around the sword.

Ichigo was feeling the cold metal in the palm of his hand, but no blood. The blade didn't cut him. And he understood. Tensa Zangetsu was actually refusing to cut neither him or his Hollow

"_Is that so?"_

Ichigo jumped back and before the Hollow could react, launched a Getsuga Tensho towards the building over his head. He used shunpo again to quickly get out of the way and watched, impassive as one building fell on the other, trapping the Hollow between them. Whatever the Hollow shouted at Ichigo was lost in a mighty crash.

Turning around, Ichigo saw several meters away a slender hooded figure holding in his hand a long, thin, black sword identical to Ichigo's. Except from the hood, his outfit was identical to Zangetsu's, a coat, black outside and white inside with torn edges floating in the wind.

"**Zangetsu?"**Ichigo wasn't sure, after all the man was a little smaller than his sword's spirit and he couldn't see his face.

However this little problem was rapidly resolved as the man lifted his hand to draw back his hood, revealing his face. Gone was the sunglasses, and gone was the beard. His black hair nearly reached his shoulders. Overall, he strangely looked like Zangetsu, several years younger. His fierce blue eyes were glaring at Ichigo as he shook his head and hefted his sword horizontally in front of him.

"What's the name of this sword?"

"_Tensa Zangetsu? Great deal, same sword, but different form... so different personality too?"_

Whatever, Ichigo shook off these interrogations for now. He had other things to think about, other things to ask. He would concentrate on his sword transformation later.

"**Why is he back?"** Ichigo simply motioned toward the remains of the two building.

Tensa Zangetsu didn't say a word. He let his arm drop and simply stood there casually, the other hand in his pocket. If his Hollow was to be believed, him and Zangetsu were in fact the same entity. So why were they both there in the same time as two definitely different person. And why was his sword not allowing Ichigo to cut the Hollow.

Always, since the time Ichigo had learned about his inner Hollow, he had thought that Zangetsu would be siding with him against That. And that the Hollow would continue to try to take over his body. He couldn't believe his bankai blade's spirit was that different from Zangetsu-ossan.

As seconds passed, Ichigo's stare was becoming colder under the eyes of Tensa Zangetsu.

"**I defeated him. I stabbed him with my sword, with the sword you have in your hand! So why is he BACK?" **

Ichigo's patient was rapidly growing very thin, and the fact that the one he was hoping getting support from remained silent. For all reaction, Tensa Zangetsu's stare gained a sliver of what looked like compassion, or pity, before closing his eyes and turning his head.

"**Back? Who's the bastard who said I was gone?"**

The hollow was back. Covered in small cuts and bruises, he was slowly walking on air and came to an halt beside Tensa Zangetsu. The aggressiveness was completely gone and the only thing remaining on the white clone's face was an uncharacteristic seriousness. The hollow breathing was ragged, and he seemed to avoid looking directly at either Ichigo or Tensa Zangetsu. Instead he was tried to appear nonchalant, picking glass shards and other scraps out of his long white hair, using his broken sword to cut the strand that were too entangled.

If anyone had told Ichigo that the white bloodthirsty psychopathic berserker would one day look as close as a pretty girl doing her hair as he was now... well... he don't know. He already consider his father a lost cause, but even the old man was too sane to think about something like that.

"**What do mean?" **Ichigo tried to remain concentrated on the things at hand

"**Huh? I simply meant what I said. Is that that difficult to unders..."**

"**Oh shut up already!"** Ichigo took a menacing step.

The Hollow flinched at the shout and jumped back hastily. The state of his hair had became the last of his concern and was staring at Ichigo with a frown on his face. But the thing that gave away the Hollow's panicked state was the way he was holding his broken sword. Feet wide apart, knees slightly bent and both hands on the sword's handle. It was the first time Ichigo saw him take something that look like an theoretically correct combat stance.

Ichigo couldn't prevent himself to let his lips curve up in a smug grin. He had been afraid of his Hollow, so afraid he had refused to use his shinigami's power for days. But now, the table was inverted. With his new found strength, Ichigo was not only able to beat his Hollow into the ground, but to scare the shit out of him. The sensation was intoxicating.

And suddenly Ichigo realized. From a third point of view things must look a great deal different. A grinning Ichigo, with a carefree stance, his sword resting in his right hand, mindlessly drawing circles in he air with its tip. And in front of him, a scowling Hollow, panting, clothes torn, in a careful low stance, and whose mouth was deformed by a grimace of anger.

Their situations were reversed.

"**Stop messing with my head!"** Ichigo eyes hardened and he used his free hand to cover his growing grin.

In an other situation in front of someone else, Ichigo would have laughed. His Hollow seemed ready to make a good retort. Already with his finger pointed toward Ichigo, a furious scowl and a cocky smile on his face. But he froze instead of speaking. A look of misunderstanding took place in his eyes, and shortly after his smile fall off his face.

"**Huh... what?"**

It was enough ! If his sword couldn't cut the Hollow, at least it could hurt him, breaking bones and squashing organs. Without any sort of warning, Ichigo jumped. He spun on himself, to give his sword more momentum and aimed for the Hollow neck, intended to break it. Even if it didn't work, at least the Hollow would feel it and maybe it will become a bit more compliant.

What Ichigo didn't expect, was for an other black sword to block his. The sound of the two swords clashing made the hollow flinch -realizing how near from being seriously hurt he had been- an take two stop back and one to the side, hiding the best he could behind Tensa Zangestu. Ichigo glared at his bankai's spirit to have defended the Hollow. And when he realized it was useless to try to push Tensa Zangestu aside, he let out an irritated grunt and take a few steps back, unlocking their swords.

"**You made me HESITATE!"**

"**Well,... of course! What the fuck are you talking about?**

"**In front of Aizen..."**

_Flashback (flashbackception,... I know)_

_(It's not an actual flashback, but you'll understand fast enough)_

In front of Ichigo, Aizen. The traitor was seriously hurt, but still standing. And between them, Wanderweiss was standing, motionless slowly strangling Yuzu Kurosaki and shielding Aizen from Ichigo.

The younger Kurosaki was rapidly weakening. Deprived of oxygen, her movements were becoming slow and scarce. And even through the massive reiatsu of Aizen and the substantial one of the arrancar, Ichigo can clearly feel his sister's. The feeble reiatsu was trying to fight back the two massive and aggressive ones but in the same time, it looked like his sister was reaching for him with her reiatsu. Having never been taught what reiatsu was, and even less how to control it, Ichigo deduced it was some kind of instinctual desperate call now that she couldn't even voice the name of her brother anymore.

**"Sorry Yuzu."** was the last Ichigo said before he lifted his hand towards the three person in front of him, a black orb of destructive reiatsu already formed at the tip on his finger.

When the Cero was released, the recoil made the ground beneath Ichigo's feet crack and break. He didn't lose any time, taking off with flash step. His departure finishing to destroy the ground where he was standing. He was slightly faster than his Cero, so when he came to a brief halt at some distance next to Wanderweiss and his sister, the attack was still three or four feet away from them.

The arrancar had his eyes wide, and both of his arm before his face. Instead of calling his sword directly to him, he poured more reiatsu through his connection to the zanpakuto and sent him to some place behind Aizen.

But before he used Flash step for the second time, Ichigo saw his little sister. Wanderweiss had just let go of her but she was already on the ground. Yuzu was looking directly in her brother's black eyes with her own, big, brawn and tear filled eyes. She had a small smile on her face as she was reaching a stretched hand to Ichigo. Sadly, the look of hope she had on her face disappeared, replaced by a look of hurt betrayal and pain as the Cero neared her.

The air pressure in front of the cero was enough to throw her back into Wanderweiss. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out of her. The time slowed down. Far less than a second should have flowed between the time Ichigo bended his knees, and the time he went off with Shunpo. Instead, he saw his sister's clothes being torn away by the terrifying blast. She didn't have anything like Hierro and her spiritual pressure was nowhere near enough to shield her from anything like a Cero Oscurias. A normal hollow or a shinigami wouldn't have been hurt before the Cero actually hit them. But Yuzu was human, and her skin soft and weak. To Ichigo's horror, her skin was slowly being torn and reaped away. She bled a lot, covering Wanderweiss in red.

Ichigo was gone right before the black mass of destructive reiatsu hit her. His mind was solely focused on killing Aizen. He didn't want to think about his sister fate. He didn't want to wonder if it was already over for her before the cero reached her. He didn't want to explain why he chose to attack Aizen instead of saving his sister.

He arrived behind Aizen at the same time his blade did. Catching it and turning around, he brought Tensa Zangetsu down.

"**Getsuga Tensho"**

The cero was already right before Aizen, and the bodies of the arrancar and his sister nowhere to be seen. The Getsuga hit the traitor's back, and the cero Kyoka Suigetsu, in the same time, mimiking the attack Ichigo used on his Hollow.

The destruction was tremendous. The man wasn't protected by Tensa Zangetsu's will. Even if he survived, he won't be able to stand. The war would be over.

What Ichigo would have noticed afterward, was that a part of the town was no longer under the pillars protection...

_End of Flashback_

"**The choice should have been simple. I would never hurt my sister no matter the situation. But I hesitated..."**

Ichigo tuned around. The Hollow was staring back at him with a blank face, and Tensa Zangetsu was looking away, eyes lost in the distance, with a pained expression.

"**Why is he back?" **Ichigo's tone was even, his voice calm, but his word contain a dangerous edge. An edge obviously felt by his Hollow.

"**Listen King, you should first calm down, and..."**

"I brought him back."

They both turned toward the sword's spirit.

"**That... won't calm him down..."**

After a while, Tensa Zangestu let out a small sigh, closed his eyes for a bit longer than a blink, and turned his face, looking at Ichigo. The latest was speechless. His sword had consciously brought back the Hollow, but why? The Hollow had done nothing else but try to gain the control of Ichigo's body. Was that the wish of Tensa?

Moreover, hadn't the Hollow confess him that he was one with the sword's spirit? The strongest deciding which form they will wear. And now they are both in front of him, two different individuals.

So Ichigo remained silent, waiting for Tensa Zangetsu to explain himself, which he did.

"I needed his Hierro and high speed regeneration"

"**And I wanted his sword, so we made a deal"**

Ichigo cast his eyes down, and looked at his right hand. White Hierro, deadly looking claw, and the hilt of a black daito. Was his appearance and power the result of this "deal"? In other circumstances, the change would have been welcomed,... more or less, but now...

After the small while when he had lost control and from when he didn't have any memories, he still had something to sort out.

"**You think I'll thank you? You nearly KILLED Ishida!"** Bellowed Ichigo, pointing an accusating finger toward his Hollow.

"**Okay,... that's it... I don't want to look like a little whining girl, but why does it have to always be ****_my_**** fault when something bad happen?"**

"**Are you fucking kidding me? As soon as you gain control over my body you try to kill someone! First Byakuya, then the vizards, now my friend! What next, my family?"**

"**Oh shut up will you? The one in control back then wasn't ME, so cut me some slack!**

Ichigo blinked, the statement hitting him like a slap. His eyes lost focus and he nearly let go of his sword. He nearly missed the look Tenza Zangetsu gave to the Hollow. A look of disapprobation. An angry look. Ichigo turned around and prepared himself to leave. There was something happening between his Hollow and Zanpakuto. Something they knew and he didn't. And that drive him mad.

"Listen Ichigo..."

"**No, I'm tired of listening... to both of you. Now the one who will listen is you."**

Ichigo pointed his sword toward Tenza Zangetsu. The bankai's spirit didn't move, but his eyes hardened. They both knew neither of them was going to attack the other but they were both battle ready.

"**I got you, your "Asaushi" to protect my family ! I got you back to be allowed to save a friend. I basically obtain your shikai AND bankai in less than a month -while it takes years and years for other to achieve them- to save a friend! And...**

Ichigo turn his burning gaze toward his Hollow.

**...I get your power, along with zangestu's, and finally controlled it to SAVE ONE OF MY FRIENDS, AND PROTECT MY FAMILY!**

To calm himself Ichigo brought up his left hand to massage his temple. He already feel his "Hollow instincts" telling him to tear the two persons in front of him in pieces until they give him adequate answers. And he would continue even after that. The sound of his own distorted voice, echoing in his head didn't help easing this urge.

"**King..."**

"**Shut up!"**

"Ichigo...

"**I said, SHUT UP!"**

Trying to massage both of his temple ended up being a bad idea. With his daito still in his hand, instead of skin, he felt his bone-like, steel hard, mask fragment.

"**Why would my own power... make me... do... that."**

Finally calming himself, Ichigo found the strength not to jump on the personification of his power. Instead, he turned around and declared in a calm, decided tone.

"**That's not the way I wanted to fight, that's not the way I wanted to win.**

"**Well, unfortunately, you're stuck with us right now, so you'll deal with it and..."**

"**No!"**

"**No?"**

Ichigo closed his eyes, concentrated and for the first time exited his inner world on his own free will. The process was strange, it was like focusing his reiatsu back in his body. A sort of reverse Jinzen. And the sensation was like slowly entering back in his body from his soul form.

When he opened his eyes, Ichigo was back in a forest, still leaning against the tree he had been leaning against when he performed Jinzen. The sun was slowly rising and the air was still cold, making Ichigo painfully aware of his state. Here, in this world, he only had a part of his torn shihakusho left and his right arm was still burnt to the bone.

He got up, and rapidly scanned the zone. No one, like before. That didn't surprised him. He was far away from any kind of civilization. But that also didn't bother him. In fact it was even better that way.

"**I don't want a power I can't trust!"**

Without hesitating, he threw Tenza Zangetsu away. The black daito dissolved nearly instantaneously into black reishi. The mass of spiritual particles hitting harmlessly a nearby tree.

"**And I have no use of a power who only thinks of massacre!"**

Without wondering about how he was still able to use his right arm in the state it was, Ichigo grabbed the horn protruding from the side of his mask and pulled. It felt like he was splitting his head in two and tearing away his own skin in the same time. And the more Ichigo pulled, the more painful his right arm became. Finally the mask fragment came out of his face, an Ichigo fell to the ground.

-End of Flashback-

* * *

I hoped you liked, see you tomorrow for the final part.


	12. Confrontations 3

And now, right before a new week, I present you, the final piece of Confrontations.

And now just before the story start, I'm looking for a beta-reader. If you're interested, just send me a MP ;).

Speech convention:

"Normal"

_"Thinking"_

"(Tensa)Zangetsu" Sometime I underline some word in a phrase, it's not the zanpakuto, it's to emphasize this very word.

**"Hollow"**

**"Hollowed Ichigo"**

/Foreign language(Japanese in England, English in Japan) when speaking out loud/

R&R&Enjoy!

* * *

Confrontation 3

"God damn nightmare!"

Ichigo had just wanted to close his eyes for a minute. The common mistake. According to the moon and the numbness of his face, me must have slept at least one full hour. And trust his luck to give him nightmare during this short span of time. In fact more a memory than a nightmare, a memory from his "last" argument with his Zanpakuto and That. And honestly, remembering that time was the last thing he needed right now.

Ichigo lifted his head from the desk and rubbed his tired eyes. He was still in the room of requirement. Good think he had read "Hogward a history" carefully enough. He had obtained just enough informations to ask the good question to the elder Malfoy. At this point he had learned both the room location and the way to open it.

Thanks to this room, Ichigo had now the perfect training ground. Secure and mostly unknown. And of course, changing, answering to Ichigo's wish. The room was now spacious, and nearly empty. The only furniture being a wooden table, a slightly too comfortable armchair, and the remains of several wooden planks Ichigo had used as practice targets.

The young wizard cast a quick glance through the window to estimate the time. It appeared that Ichigo had slept far more than an hour. According to the sky's colour, and the moon's position, it must be around supper time. And of course, when he turned his head back in the room, a clock had come out of nowhere, showing 18h30. (6:30 p.m.)

"Maybe I'll be able to actually surprise him by coming on time."

He lifted himself from his chair and walked to the nearest wall. Without much surprise, a sink and a mirror swiftly came out of the bricks. He leant on it, turned the cold water on, and placed his still painful left hand under the stream. He was mildly thankful the ointment he had applied on his right arm was still in effect. Maybe he'll just add a bit for later. Ichigo didn't want to loose focus because his burnt arm was too painful.

"Aw crap..."

The ex-vizard just realized he had rubbed both of his eyes before. Which meant that there was a fairly good chance the red mark under his left eye was showing. With a little hope still in him, he lifted his head to look at his reflection.

When he saw it, he reacted instinctively. His right arm nearly moved on his own, slashing at the mirror. And before Ichigo knew it, a pitch black daito was embed in the bricks, through the mirror. It had created a large crack in the wall and water was pouring out of the fissure.

Instead of his own face, Ichigo had seen something else in the thin silver layer. White skin and black and golden eyes. His Hollow. An huge grin on his face, and evil-looking eyes, his head slightly tilted on the right. His hand was extended toward Ichigo as if it was possible for him to pass through the glass, and black claws can be seen on the top of its fingers.

Ichigo had seen the Hollow's face only for a fraction of second, but it was enough to trigger his battle reflexes. Now that the mirror was shattered, Ichigo could only see his face in the remains, multiple times. But soon his concentration was taken away by something else, and, in a way, he half expected it. So even if it was difficult, he was ready to react when a white mask began to form on the left side of his face.

Fighting back the Hollow influence was already difficult when Ichigo could use Zangetsu's help. In the same time he was struggling to keep control, he had to fight against the urge to use his Zanpakuto's power. He already had summoned his bankai blade, proof that Tenza Zangetsu was still trying to force Ichigo to use his power.

But he was ready. Ichigo knew that this time would eventually come. Fighting back his Hollow's and Zanpakuto's reiatsu at the same time without using either of the two powers. And he already have done something similar. Long ago when struggling against the first bakudo he encountered(1). Using a power that only belong to him.

The result was immediate. He felt the hollow influence recede, but the mask was still stuck to his face, and his link between him and his Zanpakuto became thin, nearly absent. But the fight was far from over, and Ichigo was painfully aware of that when he fell to his knees. His right arm was "dead" again, and the burning sensation was back at full force. And his attempt at removing his mask fragment was dramatically draining his energy while felling like he was breaking his own skull.

When the mask finally came off, nearly a minute later, disappearing in thin air, Ichigo was left panting on the ground, light headed, but a victorious grin on his face.

"**You moron! We already told you it was impossible to beat us with your weak wooden stick. And still you hope to defeat Aizen without us?"**

Ichigo got up, a bit unsure on his leg, exhausted, and dusted his pants, careful not to look at what's left from the mirror.

"Yoruichi can fight without zanpakuto or mask, as does Tessai. So why not me too?"

"Foolishness."

This time, Ichigo turned around, a fierce spark in his eyes. The Hollow's face was still visible on one of the mirror's shard, and this time along with Tenza Zangetsu who was on an other shard. They were both looking at Ichigo, both with anger in their eyes. The wizard just take a step, and grabbed the blade's hilt squeezing it.

He was... happy with their intervention. It had given him the occasion to use and test his "neutral" reiatsu. The reiatsu he had before gaining his shinigami's power, and his mask. The one that allowed him to break Kuchiki Rukia's binding spell. The only missing piece he needed.

He infused a bit of reiatsu inside his left arm. And was satisfied when he didn't felt either the Hollow or Tensa Zangetsu react, but also a bit disappointed. His reserve seemed to be nothing else but small.

"Watch me !"

With a violent thrust, he broke the bankai blade and smashed his hand still holding the hilt into the mirror, finishing to shatter it. The sword was already corroded when Ichigo had grabbed it, which he noticed, and as the blade was broken, it soon turned back into black reishi and disappeared.

Now that they were gone for the moment, Ichigo could focus back on his surrounding. The wall still bore a huge fissure with water now showering on the vizard. The remains of the mirror and the sink was currently on the ground, and the floor was cracked and crammed, as if something big and heavy had hit the ground where Ichigo had tore away his mask seconds before. The chair, and desk and everything on it had been blow to the other side of the room. The ink had been spilled on the floor, making a mess.

Suppressing a sigh, extended a had in the direction of the desk. He had the feeling he was able to do it, but never tried before. And of course he didn't mentioned it to Dumbledore as he didn't trust the old headmaster yet. But now was the best time to try.

"Accio"

To his surprise, it actually worked as he saw his wand being lift off the floor and came right into his hand. In the same manner -without the incantation- he had already called his Zanpakuto several times. The object this time was small and light, so the impact was a great deal less important. But Ichigo was satisfied.

He used his wand to repair the floor, and wall, effectively stopping the water flow. And then directed the tip toward his own soaked clothes, drying them. At the time he was dry and warm, Ichigo was back in front of the desk. He grabbed his bag, and took out his toiletry, rummaging through it to find a little mirror, and his foundation make-up.

As he had feared, the mark under his left eyes was showing. But what disturbed him the most was the mark above. Indeed, it seem that the red "tear" had extended. Now his eyelid and eyebrow were cut in two by a thin red line which ended right above the eyebrow.

At the sight Ichigo couldn't suppress a huge sigh before reaching for the small toiletry bag again, bringing out a black crayon. He struggled a bit more this time to hide the red line, and of course it also took several more minutes. And at the end Ichigo had to pass the crayon on his right eyebrow too, to make them even.

Satisfied with his make up, me leant back in his chair, and thow a glance at the clock 18h45. He still have time to arrive on time for his "detention".

"Kurosaki Ichigo, eager to go on a detention, and checking his make-up... I really hope Karin will never hear of it... she won't let me live through that!"

A sad smile crept toward Ichigo's face. He was never the emotional type. But it was nearly one whole year since he had left them. His family and everyone he had sworn to protect. He hadn't received any news, didn't know how the war was going except that no major fight had occurred above Karakura. And the worst for him, as Aizen had said, is that he felt "utterly and completely powerless". Even if he wanted, he can't come back to Karakura, not yet.

He already knew that the soul society would be after his blood as would any hollow and arracar, except maybe Nel, and the blonde woman that tried to protect his sisters. Shinji and Urahara won't be able to help him if they don't want to have the captain commander on their backs. But his father...

If he decided to side with him, him and his whole family would become fugitives. He still didn't know who might want to follow them, and of course that wouldn't trouble Ichigo and Isshin too much, but Karin and Yuzu, that was a different story altogether. It was maybe their war too now, but they were far too young, and they didn't have been given the choice. Fighting Aizen and his army was already dangerous, but also fighting the soul society's captain in the same time, not being able to stay anywhere for too long, that would be too much.

The best would have been for his father to treat him like an other arrancar. That would be difficult for both of them, and his sisters would most probably have a hard time to understand why they were fighting. But this way, the rest of the Kurosakis would stay on the "shinigami's side".

And that's why, no matter how much he missed them, how much he was blaming himself for not being able to protect them himself right now, he couldn't come back. And what he dreaded the most was the possibility that, even when and if Aizen was ever defeated, he won't be able to come back ever, due to his hollow nature.

Lifting himself from the chair, Ichigo grabbed his wallet and opened it. He expected to brighten his mood a bit, but instead it did exactly the opposite.

He tucked his wallet back into his pocket, and made his final preparation. If Aizen wanted to see him that much,... well, Ichigo wouldn't disappoint him.

"Ichigo, you know you have 99% chance of losing, and most probably get killed?"

"_Tanks for the trust, Tensa, you know that disturbing me now will only heighten this percentage?"_

* * *

"Well, Kurosaki-kun, I'm actually quite surprised you came on time."

Professor Aizen was carelessly leaning against his desk in the classroom, an eternal smug smile on his face.

"You say you are surprised, but I got the feeling you were waiting for me." Ichigo was mildly disappointed by how the things were turning out. He had indeed expected to really surprise Aizen.

The "professor" let out a little chuckle, and murmured a "Touché", as he lifted his right hand from the desk to seize his Zanpakuto. Or so Ichigo thought, but it was all he needed to react.

He let his wand slide down his wrist where it was hidden, and gripped its handle. Without losing any time, he pointed his "deadly weapon" toward Aizen and shouted :

"Bakudo n°1, SAI."

The effect was instantaneous. Ichigo felt the ambient reiatsu around his wand being sucked into the wood, and being shot toward Aizen who had his arm suddenly being pulled back.

Through his reading, Ichigo had discovered it existed two way to use "silent" spell. The first one was to think really strongly of the incantation, and the second was to concentrate on the spell effect. And luckily for Ichigo, he knew the effect of the first bakudo quite well.

"_Ties the wrist together in the victim's back, and create a seal around him at waist height"_

That was what was written in his little black book. Along with several other ones.

"_Creates black, iron-strong ribbons, that restrain the victim's arms behind his back. Iron stake are added, piercing the ribbons and securing them to the limbs"_

This time however, as Aizen was breaking nearly effortlessly the Sai, Ichigo had the time to pour a bit more reiatsu into his wand, making it glow white. Normally the magical stick absorbed the reiatsu that was "naturally" in the air, but Ichigo had discovered, though several experiments, that it could also absorb the reiatsu he was giving to it.

"Bakudo n°99, KIN"

Two long black ribbons shot out of Ichigo's wand, along with eight big iron pins. That indeed surprised Aizen this time, but unfortunately the first bakudo wasn't strong enough to pull his arm being his back. And the second one wasn't able either. The ribbons simply warped around his arms and try to bring them together. The stakes uselessly bumped on Aizen's skin when they reached it. But even if it was incomplete, the Kin, was giving Aizen a harder time to break free. His smile had disappeared, and his eyebrows was knitted together. He didn't look angry, just as irritated as he would be if a fly was messing with him.

"_A black box, trapping the victim inside. Several spears pierce the sides of the box. Tearing the victim inside to shreds"_

Ichigo saw the ribbons beginning to tear under Aizen strength so he quickly poured what he estimated to be half of his remaining "neutral" reiatsu into his wand. The wood, and unicorn thread absorbed it, but he had a greatly harder time to contain the reiatsu inside his wand, and a even harder time to control it. But it appear the wand was resistant enough not to break under this pressure.

"Hado n°90, KUROHITSUGI"

When he heard the kido's name, Aizen froze in his breaking attempt, lifted his head and stared at Ichigo with wide eyes before being trapped in a black coffin. Ichigo didn't lose any time, and took off running in the traitor direction. Using what's left from his reiatsu, he kept his speed just under flash step. Even though he was fast at crossing the room, the black coffin shattered into pieces shortly before he reached Aizen, but he still hoped to be fast enough.

Before the kido entirely dissolved, Ichigo jumped in the air, and delivered a round kick at head height. His foot was covered by a white aura, giving away the fact that he had been condensing his reiatsu in it to increase the kick's power. It passed through several coffin's "shard", shattering them with ease, and was about to go though one final piece before it hit Aizen's face. Ichigo would have liked the hado to hold a bit longer so that he would have been sure to hit the professor, but he was still confident of his chances.

Unfortunately, at the last second, a hand pierce through the last remain of the black coffin, and grabbed him by the ankle. Nearly crushing his bones. And before Ichigo could retaliate by using his other foot, he felt himself being spun, and thrown back into the classroom. Thanks to his fights, he was accustomed to be thrown flying "without his consent", so he easily and rapidly found where the ground was, was prepared himself for his landing.

It should have gone smoothly even on an uneven, hilly ground, but now he was in a classroom, and what he didn't expect was for his speed and weight to make the desk topple over when his feet touched it. He tried to regain his footing, but he stumbled over an other desk, rolled over it and fell to the ground, finally coming to an halt.

"Protego"

The first thing Ichigo did was to cast the shielding spell for any incoming attack -for any good that could do- and roll on the side, even before picking him up. But nothing came, surprisingly. When he got up, the translucent shield was still in front of him, but Aizen wasn't at the place he expected him to be.

The traitor had just finished to remove his mantle and had set it on the professor's desk. His back turned to the vizard, he was slowly making his way toward a low table, with two armchairs around it. And on the table there was...

"So Kurosaki-kun,..." Aizen turned around, and Ichigo could see the extend of the damage he took from his attack ; one of his glass's lens was broken in two, and he had a small cut on the cheek. "...can I offer you a cup of tea?"

* * *

And here we are!

What did the Hollow meant? Why didn't Ichigo use Kido when he first saw Aizen? How is Ichigo able to use Kido?

And I can already hear the reaction of some of you. "What? Ichigo fighting,... with Kido? N'importe quoi, j'me désabonne!"  
You would be right,... in other circumstances. Ichigo had rejected his hollow power and zanpakuto(cf. chapitre précédent), and he's not the kind of man to reconsider his decisions so easily, so...

See you soon!


	13. Cup of Tea

I don't own Bleach or HP.

Hello everyone!  
I'm back, sooner than last time, but with only one chapter this time.

First of all, thank you all for being here.

And now, review's answer:

**Grisia;** As Aizen had deduced; without being able to swing a giant cleaver at his problems, Ichigo must think of other ways to solve them. Magic, Kido, reflection, anything that could work, and hope doesn't kill! As for the rejection part, well his plan was to kill Aizen with his full power. But Aizen got away before he could do that, and by the time Ichigo would be able to follow him, Aizen could have been anywhere in the Hueco Mundo or the Human wolrd, so he went in his inner world to fetch answer and you know what happened next... And for (Tensa) Zangetsu's and the hollow's "reason", well, Ichigo had better understand them fast!

**IchigoMoonCutter;** You're right. And it was because of that fear, Ichigo rejected his powers. And for chapter 11, I really had difficulties writing it down, and putting enough emotion in it, so thank you.

**Reishin Amara; **No she isn't dead, because he chose to protect her instead of fighting Aizen. For the Fullbring, I don't think I'll give him this power, mostly because he looked ridiculous in this outfit. And I still don't know for the quincy power...

**Justin; **For a lot of people, Aizen is just the Hogokyu, and Kyoka Suigetsu, but, as you said, he's a lot more! For the "language difficulties" I'm doing he best I can, maybe I've found someone to proofread, but I still don't know if he's... motivated. About Ichigo knowing the existence of Asauchi, I've re-checked ; Chapter 110. When he's in his inner world during his fight with Zaraki. And for the magical interference, I've tried once to write with a quill... If Hermione would have been able to write with a pen instead of a quill but didn't, she must be some sort of masochist... So to be coherent, I'll keep my interpretation of this. But thanks nonetheless for the information.

And now just before the story start, I'm looking for a beta-reader. If you're interested, just send me a MP ;).

Speech convention:

"Normal"

_"Thinking"_

"(Tensa)Zangetsu" Sometime I underline some word in a phrase, it's not the zanpakuto, it's to emphasize this very word.

**"Hollow"**

**"Hollowed Ichigo"**

/Foreign language(Japanese in England, English in Japan) when speaking out loud/

Special; in this chapter, English will be considered as a foreign language.

R&R&Enjoy!

* * *

Cup of tea

"So, Kurosaki-kun, can I offer you a cup of tea?"

Aizen was pointing to the low table where lay a complete set of tea, teapot, sugar and cream, with two cups.

"**_King_, you are a totally useless bastard! So, just close your eyes, and let me have it for a minute, 'kay?..."**

"Shut it, you're not helping! Listen Ichigo, I can help you control your reiastu to a certain extend, and moreover all the students should be in their common room..."

"_Tempting. The window is near, so I guess I can throw Aizen through it and continue the fight elsewhere..."_

Ichigo's gaze hardened, while Aizen was still waiting for his answer. He lifted his left hand which was still holding his wand.

"_...But that would mean, accepting a power that HURT one of my friend, TERRIFY my allies, and made me want to KILL my sister!"_

Finally, instead of pointing his wand towards Aizen, Ichigo raised two fingers.

"With two sugars, three if it's black tea."

"Then make yourself comfortable.", answered Aizen with a gentle smile, motioning towards one of the empty armchair.

As Aizen was searching for something in his desk, Ichigo tidied the mess he did by landing, namely two toppled desks and one broken chair, with a swift motion of his wand and made his way to his designated spot.

"**Huh,... so ya're gonna drink tea... with Aizen?"**

Saying his hollow sounded confused would be an understatement, but Ichigo didn't care even a bit. He simply sat down, cautious to keep Aizen in his field of view, leaned in the bottom of his armchair and crossed his leg. He took his "dead" hand and place it casually on his leg, but didn't let go of his wand, and waited.

"**Well, fuck logic after all! Tenza, I'm gonna paint my nails pink, wanna hel..."**

"SHUT. UP!"

The Zanpakuto's voice was strong and his tone unquestioning, more than enough to actually shut the Hollow up. And then, Ichigo simply felt his presence fade away. No sulking, no protestation, the Hollow went away, on his own accord without any form of protestation. As if understanding why Tensa Zangetsu wanted him to keep quiet. And of course the Zanpakuto also stopped bothering Ichigo, but stayed there, at the back of Ichigo's mind, listening carefully.

Ichigo on his side was trying the best he could not to show how furious he was. Firstly, his plan didn't work at all. And Aizen was once again playing with him. But Zangetsu and his Hollow was bothering him more and more. Why are they teaming together now ? And what the hell were they hiding from him?

"You're really impressive Kurosaki-kun." Aizen was heading back to the table, a first aid kit under his arm, and massaging his right wrist with his glowing left hand. Ichigo immediately recognised a healing kido. And he noticed Ichigo's stare, he casually added ; "You're also heavier than I thought."

He sat in his chair, place the first aid kit on the table beside his cup, and began serving the tea, announcing ; "Green tea". And then, clearly aware that Ichigo would never drink before he did so himself, Aizen took a small sip, enjoying the calming taste of the tea.

"Still a bit hot."

Now knowing that there wasn't any poisons in the drink, the ex-vizard leant forward, added two sugar pieces in his tea and mixed it with the silver spoon. After some months of training, he achieved this while still being able to hold his wand in his only usable hand, ready to react if his host tried anything funny. And currently, while he was searching into his first aid kit, Aizen would have trouble to look any less intimidating. And then he finally took out an aid-band, and a normal looking sticking.

"Need some?" Aizen asked while presenting the band to Ichigo and pointing to his left arm.

Ichigo had been so focused on Aizen that he noticed only then the state of his left arm. His dragon's hide glove was mostly unscathed except for a vertical cut across his palm that thankfully didn't reach the skin. But his wizard's robe was torn and burned up to his elbow. Ichigo had felt the control of the Kurohitsugi slip a bit, but he did expect the damage to spread to such a scale.

"No, thanks" Ichigo used his teeth to remove his glove.

Underneath, there already was bands, a lot of, in fact. Three layer of thick bands covering every inches of skin from his shoulder to his hand, leaving only the fingers out. Ichigo already knew the kido might backfire, so he spent a part of his afternoon preparing for it. He first tried to warp a Kin around his arm, but the bakudo had been asking too much reiatsu to maintain, so the wizard fell back on magic.

The first layer, the one in direct contact of his skin had been enchanted with a spell, turning the fabric into something as resistant as a chainmail -according to the book's description-. It was near-metamorphose spell, hard to perform because one misstep would turn the band into solid steel. And the book wasn't in the library. Luckily he had bought it in "Flourish and Blotts", one day when it was a probationer that was at the checkout. So he had had no problem, with no question asked.

The second layer was coated by a special shielding charm, bounded by little runes drawn on the band. This shield was meant to stop, or at least hinder any piercing object or spell to go though. It might appear redundant if one use it in addition to the first layer. But the shield was more effective when it came to withstand a high pressure on a very small spot, like a needle.

And the last layer was the one Ichigo trusted the less, mostly because it was one of his idea... Thanks to his abundant, and varied potion supplies, -not knowing in which year he would be put, and which potion he would have to make, he had bought all the ingredient for every potion in the seven year cursus-, he had found some magically resistant animal's blood. Mostly troll's blood, and a small quantity of dragon's blood. Ichigo soaked the last band with a mixture of the two beast's blood. He wasn't sure of the quality of the protection that could provide...

And Ichigo had the result of his preparation under his eyes. The last layer had been completely torn, burnt and blown away. The middle layer looked like it had been run through a lawnmower. In conclusion, only the first layer remained on Ichigo's arm. The band had several cuts and holes, but luckily the damage didn't extend to the skin except for some light burns or scratches.

Biting down on the band, and pulling, Ichigo just had to shake a bit his arm for the remaining fabric to fall down on the floor. He retrieved the wand on the arm rest, and healed his forearm with some quickly cast spells. Soon enough his left arm was spotless, his sleeve was back to normal, and he had made the remains of the bands vanish.

During that time, Aizen had removed his glasses, and placed them beside his tea cup. Since he obviously didn't need them in the first place, not having them didn't bother him at all. He was now disinfecting the wound he had on the left cheek with a alcohol soaked cloth.

"Why don't you heal yourself with kido, or magic?"

Ichigo was sceptical. After all, Aizen had already shown he was able to perform healing kido, so why didn't he use it on this cut? Was it because it had been inflicted by kido, or kido channelled through a wand, or kido channelled through a wand with reiatsu that was neither shinigami or hollow?

"In fact, it's precisely the question I await from Granger-chan tomorrow."

"_What?"_

Although that didn't explain anything, on the contrary, Aizen's answer brought more questions. Ichigo remained silent, slowly sipping his tea.

"The little girl is already quite fond of me. So it'll need just some little things, a wound, a talk about the purpose of magic and my help and understanding, concerning the problem they have with the ministry and Riddle-san and she'll no longer consider me as a teacher."

Before continuing, Aizen took out a mirror from his first aid kit, and used to to patch his sticking correctly on his wound.

"And before Christmas, I'll be close enough to her and I'll have her trust. So she will no longer be able to say no to me, and I'll just have to take whatever I want from her."

Ichigo's stare turned into a glare, and he didn't bother to hide his grimace as he put his cup down on the table.

"You're sick!"

Aizen didn't react right away, instead he seized his cup, blew on it and took a small sip assessing the heat of the tea, and -satisfied with it- took an other larger one.

"And you have a far too frivolous mind." Aizen shook his head. "Information Kurosaki-kun. Due to her relation with Weasley-kun and especially with Potter-kun, the boy-who-lived, I firmly believe she know a great deal about a certain secret organisation."

"So I assume you want to dismantle this organisation."

"In the first time, I will join them."

"_Damn it..."_

Now Ichigo knew a bit of Aizen's plan, but it didn't help him much. He didn't think he would be able to warn Granger discreetly, and even if he succeeded, she would have no reason to believe him. If only he hadn't reacted so violently to Granger's naivety... and if only the girl was a bit less naïve.

While keeping an eye on his host, and enjoying the warm tea, Ichigo's mind was working on a way to make peace with his colleague. But Aizen broke the silence soon enough.

"You know, this new hair colour doesn't suit you..."

"I didn't come hear to do small talk with you!"

Aizen smiled and reached inside his vest. This time instead of a wand he took out a piece of paper, taken out of a journal by the look of it, folded in four.

"I know." And he threw the piece of paper on the table, in front of Ichigo.

Trying unsuccessfully to hide his haste, Ichigo grabbed the paper. However he gathered enough sense not to unfold it and stare at the pictures. He had already shown Aizen this weakness of his, no need to hammer it down. Instead he tucked it in a randomly chosen pocket. Unfortunately, Aizen had something else in mind.

"I was curious about this."

He stood up, and walk to the desk.

"So I made some research."

He opened a drawer and took out a complete newspaper. Ichigo barely glanced several kanji, immediately deducing the paper was from Japan, and already feared the outcome.

"It seemed that they really want to find you."

Aizen tossed the newspaper on the table. When it landed, Ichigo's fears came true. He immediately recognised the two pictures on the first page. One of them was a simple picture of Ichigo's class. The most recent one he remember taking part of. Being one of the tallest he stood at the bottom row, with Chad, who was even taller, beside him. Ishida was standing at the far end of the row, as far as he can from Ichigo. In the middle of the picture, of course, was Inoue, smiling openly, and next to her, Tatsuki who was preventing Inoue from waving at the camera, and in the same time, protecting her from Chizuru's "advances". Three faces were brought out by thick circle and cited in the description ; Yasutora Sado, Ishido Uryuu, and Orihime Inoue.

The other one was showing the Kurosaki's clinic with four people in front of it. Although he two smallest figure were twins they looked really different. One of them had light brown hair and was smiling and the other had jet black hair and a badly concealed murderous look on her face. Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki respectively. Behind them, Isshin was patting Karin on the head with his other arm around his son's neck. This picture was a bit older. It had been taken not long after the "truck crash(1)". This time it was only Ichigo's frowning face that was circled.

_Tragedy in Karakura_

_Lucky, that's how everyone consider themselves after the chemical incident that had caused the whole town of Karakura to fall asleep. But luck hadn't blessed everyone one that day, as several people went missing, some of them might already have suffered a dire fate, according to some witnesses. Investigations are still under way, and every informations will prove useful. The main suspect, Kurosaki Ichigo, still escapes the police..._

The rest of the articles wasn't visible as the news paper was still folded in two, but Ichigo knew his content all too well. The story of his life, and how his mother's death deeply perturbed him. A quick explanation of why he kidnapped his eternal rival, Ishida, his ex-girlfriend, Orihime, along with her current boyfriend, Chad. And the last part was a summary of an anonymous candy-shop's keeper's testimony ; the forged story of Ichigo killing his two sister in cold blood before throwing their corpses into the river, and wounding his father mortally.

"I know the headmaster is also aware of this... incident. The only thing I still wonder is ; How did you manage to convince him you're not Kurosaki Ichigo? After all, your hair color is rather... original."

Ichigo mused a moment over this question. And when he couldn't find any reason not to tell him. And after all, if Ichigo wanted some useful information, giving some useless information would do no harm. And knowing the man, if he didn't tell him right know, Aizen would soon find a way to know nonetheless.

"Kurosaki Ichigo's eyes are brown, Arisawa Kaien's are blue. No lenses, no magic Dumbledore checked. Free of all charge!"

"Your eyes turned blue?" Aizen own eyes gained a glimmer of interest. "Strange, really."

"Indeed. Soul society must have organised this." Ichigo waved at the newspaper. "Any idea why?"

It was Ichigo's time to "attack", to know how much Aizen knew.

"Of course it's them, who else? A murderer and kidnapper would have nowhere to hide in Japan and no way to flee from it, nearly no way. And as for the disappeared and dead part ; hide and protect I guess."

"Protecting them from you!" The remark about _"murderer and kidnapper"_ nearly set Ichigo off.

"Of course, you would never hurt them knowingly, that's the kind of man you are. You really care for them, don't you?"

"_Where is he going now?"_

"You are truly amazing for a human, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo's frown deepened but he remained silent. Noticing it, Aizen added ;

"Feel free to stop me if I go wrong. At your first encounter with a shinigami, not counting your father of course, you tried to take down a hollow with a cane, and then you gain some shinigami's powers. All went well for you until you defeated a Gilliant without even knowing what a shikai was. Then you invade Soul society, fight and win against four lieutenant's level shinigamis, three captain's level shinigamis, not to mention an entire division..."

"_Wait, four lieutenants, I agree with that, but I only beat two captains."_

"And after a little training you came into Hueco Mundo..."

"I know my own biography, get to the point Aizen!"

Aizen smiled, drank from his cup before continuing.

"My point is, that in less than six months you became powerful enough to beat captains and espadas. And the people able to destroy a city by a single swing of their sword can be numbered on one hand only. And right now..." Aizen mentioned the sticking he had on the cheek. "...you only witnessed the Kurohitsugi once, as well as the Sai and Kin, I guess. The first coming from your encounter with Kuchiki-chan, it's her favourite binding, and the latter from Tessai-san maybe. And you master them to the point you could cast them without incident,... nearly, and with a relatively good efficiency in what, one afternoon? You haven't used your wand before Hogwart for fear of being spotted, of course. Even Gin learn slower than you do!"

"So?"

"So, I won't go after your friend of family, I can even offer you to protect them."

"Where is the trap?" Ichigo had forgotten his tea long ago, entirely focused on Aizen's words.

The traitor's shoulder shrugged as he answered simply.

"There's none. I own a mansion in Switzerland, no one is aware of that. It's protected by powerful kido barriers, and the view is quite pleasant. I can give you its location and the key,..." Aizen raised one finder "...for only one condition."

"_There's the trap..."_

"Which is?" Ichigo asked, after a small sigh, he could already imagine Aizen asking him to mess with the other teachers, or the ministry so that he could reinforce his own position, or some other little things that can also help him achieve whatever goals he had in England. Worst case scenario, he will ask Ichigo to hide with his family, removing him from the fights.

"Join me."

As for cue, the door opened at that precise moment. Even though he had been overtaken by surprise and anger when Aizen had stated his "proposition", Ichigo's reactions were fast enough to allow him to point his wand at the intruder before it could set a single foot in the classroom. Disturbed by the sudden motion his burnt arm made himself ever more present. And normally Ichigo would have been glad to be able to react so quickly, on a battlefield it was the difference between life and death. But now, seeing Umbridge casually walk into the classroom, he found himself cursing his reflexes to be so good. Menacing a teacher with his wand -an actual teacher who really cared about his job, not a manipulative mastermind- wasn't the smartest thing to to if one tried to keep a low profile.

/Good evening Sōsuke, I didn't see you at the dinner./

Ichigo quickly hide his wand into his sleeve, hoping she didn't notice anything, and turned toward "Sōsuke " only to see a smile on his face.

/Oh I see./ Continued Umbridge after a little while. /And mister Arisawa is already gone?/

Not understanding what was happening, Ichigo turned his head again toward the professor of defense against the dark art. Then he noticed something odd -except from the fact that she didn't seem to see him-. She was obviously speaking with Aizen, but instead of looking at him, her gaze was directed toward the professor's desk.

/Well, I hope that'll make him understand. I'll have to go, I still must write the rapport for the Minister.../

"_Illusion!"_

It was the first time Ichigo was sure to witness one of Aizen's illusion. Even if he couldn't see it, it was there, and he couldn't let this chance go to waste. As he already did previously during the day, he reached out with his new "spiritual awareness". If there was any information he could gather, no matter how small it was, it would already be a great win for him.

Soon enough, with a bit of concentration but without the need to close his eyes, Ichigo could already see the spirit ribbons. Aizen's purple one, Umbridge's white one, and several other little thread seemingly coming from the space between the paving. But except from the ambient reiatsu in the air, unusually high due to the magical nature of the place, Ichigo didn't felt anything where the "false Aizen" should have been. And after a quick search Ichigo found that the reiatsu level in the room was … constant. At least at much as it could be with his "barely kept in check" chaotic reiatsu and his poor sensing skills.

/Ooh, you didn't have to,... thank you very much Sōsuke,/ she took the folder that was on the desk /Well then, I'll send it right away, see you tomorrow./

Umbridge walked to the door. Having fund nothing, Ichigo, in a desperate attempt, reached out sensing the reiatsu around Umbrigde head, and trying to analyse it. His idea paid off, a bit. Right before she closed the door, he felt something off. He still wasn't accustomed to read reiatsu signature, even less accustomed to deduce how a z anpakuto power work technically. Of course he already did it for the Caja Negation, but it was a hollow power. Maybe more an Arrancar power than a hollow, and it was really complex, but Hollow nonetheless. Meaning it would work mostly on instinct and not training. So the only thing Ichigo understood thanks to his "sensing" was that there was a foreign reiatsu, mingled with Umbridge's. But he couldn't guess where it came from, and its effect.

"Kyoka Suigetsu?" Aksed Ichigo, casually, even though he already knew the answer.

"Of course, it comes handy from time to time."

"And I guess you already have a good part of the ministry's staff under your complete hypnosis?"

As only answer, Aizen smiled and shake lightly his head. And after taking a sip from his cup he added.

"You still have a long way to go to be on Gin's level, and I fooled him, feigning to be blind to his … treacherous intentions."

"_Gin?...treacherous?"_

It doesn't took long for Ichigo to remember who Gin was ; A captain, maybe the third division but he wasn't sure, with a long really zanpakuto. He, and a another captain, Tousen, joined Aizen when he fled from Soul Society. The important question now was, where were they?

"What were we talking about before we got... interrupted?"

"You were asking me to join you." Answered Ichigo, irritated. _"As if you already forgot!"_

"Ha, yes... So?"

Ichigo eyes widened in surprise and anger.

"You're not seriously asking me that!"

"I am. Your family will be safe, and I will even help you regain your full power."

"So you've gone completely mad!"

Ichigo finished his tea in one go, set his cup down, and was about to stand up as Aizen interrupted him.

"Please explain. I don't see why you would hate me so much."

"Well, except from the fact that the first time we saw each other, you nearly CUT ME IN HALF. Yes I can see plenty of reasons."

"Can you be more specific please. Do you want more tea?"

Ichigo had to fight down several mean retorts about other exotic uses of the teapot and cup he would gladly suggest Aizen to try. And also had to forget his wish of saying "yes" just to throw the tea back at Aizen's face.

"Is it because of the execution of Kuchiki-chan? She gave you shinigami's power, which is completely forbidden. Central 46 would have sentenced her the same way. It would just have taken longer. Inoue-chan? I already had explained it to you, never had she been in real danger. Your sister? The only one who would have hurt her was you. So why?"

"Maybe because you're a madman and a murderer, and that it's impossible to be on your side, because you're the only one on your side and you eventually slay any ally you have."

"Don't be so rude ! I haven't kill anyone."(2)

"Of course, I notice it first hand." sarcasm was clear in Ichigo's voice as he mentioned toward his stomach. "And I'm sure Hinamori-san would also agree with you!"

"Indeed, neither of you are dead."

"Stop mocking me, Aizen!"

"Don't tell me you're that naïve, Kurosaki-kun."

Aizen leant back in his chair, a disappointed scowl on his face. Being insulted by Aizen didn't really bother Ichigo anymore, what made him glare at the ex-captain was the hidden meaning behind his words.

"Do you know how hard it is to stab someone in the chest while making sure she survives long enough for Unohana-taicho to arrive? Do you really think that I could nearly kill you with one swing, but just miss your spine? Do you know why you're sitting here and now?

"Because I haven't found a way to defeat you yet."

Ichigo stood up.

"And this discussion is over."

Ichigo turned around and made his way to the door with quick steps.

"Kurosaki-kun, my offer will remain valid until the moment you die."

With his hand on the door's handle Ichigo threw a last glare at Aizen.

"I will kill you Aizen."

"I know, and I look forward to the day you'll try." The smug smile was back on Aizen Sōsuke's face.

* * *

Here it is, Aizen's offer "Join me".

1) The truck accident was the excuse Ichigo gave for the damage the first hollow he saw did on the night he got his shinigami power.

2)Aizen had in fact killed Tousen,(the case of central 46 is up to interpretation...) but Ichigo don't know... and there's no reason for Aizen to tell him.

Next few chapters will be a bit more "Potterish".


	14. Trio and letter

I don't own Bleach or HP.

Speech convention:

"Normal"

_"Thinking"_

"(Tensa)Zangetsu" Sometime I underline some word in a phrase, it's not the zanpakuto, it's to emphasize this very word.

**"Hollow"**

**"Hollowed Ichigo"**

/Foreign language(Japanese in England, English in Japan) when speaking out loud/

Special; in this chapter;

_Letters_

R&R&Enjoy!

And now just before the story start, I'm looking for a beta-reader. If you're interested, just send me a MP ;).

* * *

**Trio and letter**

/God-dammit/

Ichigo slammed his fist against the wall again, leaving a blood-red mark on the already broken tile. The warm water had already begun to wash it away as he punched to wall again. The water at his feet was light red, tainted by the blood dripping from his left arm. His forehead was resting against a cold tile. And while the water being poured on his head was a delight for his tired muscles, it was a torture for both of his arms. But it wasn't the reason Ichigo kept on sending his fist on the wall despite the fact that his knuckles were bleeding profusely and that several tiles had already fall off.

Aizen.

That bastard was here, -Ichigo already went over that, but it still infuriate him- but the worse was, he was playing with the young wizard. And Ichigo just realized a few hours before how much he had been played with. At the top of the Sōkyoku hill, he had been nearly cut in two by Aizen as easily as Byakuya dropped him with two hits the first time they had met. Finishing him at that moment would have been a child's play. And the traitor also stole a picture in his wallet as he was asleep, and offered him a cup of tea instead of retaliating when Ichigo attacked him.

So why was Aizen Sōsuke keeping him alive? Just to have Ichigo's power on his side?

After a few more minute, when Ichigo's arm was so painful he couldn't find the strength to punch the wall anymore, he stopped. Looking down, he saw cracks spreading across the whole wall. The skin of his knuckles was nearly all gone. He flexed his fingers a bit, and tried to order his thoughts now that he was somewhat a little more calm.

/First positive point ; I know precisely where Aizen is./

And he was in the same dimension too. It'll be a lot easier to get to him, if... when Ichigo would eventually find a way to kill him.

/Kido seem to work on him./

Granted Ichigo must channel the kido through his wand to control it. But the wand seemed to have a nasty side-effet. At first it looked like the wooden stick was weakening the attack. But after a few more tries, -which left his left arm covered in countless thin lacerations- his conclusion was simple ; the wand could only channel a certain quantity of reiatsu. If Ichigo tried to use more reiatsu, a part of the kido would simply backfire. Ichigo didn't know what determined the limit or if it was possible to increase it. Of course he could have cast the kido without his wand, he tried it, but it simply blew up in his face.

/Gin seem to also want Aizen dead, or at least defeated./

Ichigo didn't know how that would serve him. After all if the man was against Aizen, it didn't mean that he was with the rest of Soul-society or with Ichigo.

/Umbridge is under Kyoka Suigetsu's illusion./

Which means that Aizen was nearly controlling her completely. He was able to make anyone completely invisible to her, or make her see anyone doing anything he want. And Ichigo should consider that all the ministry was already under Aizen's control. Just to be sure, worst case scenario and all that...

/And the wizards.../

Of course, there's also all the problems concerning the wizard society. Ichigo was already more or less aware of the "Voldemort problem", thank to Lucius -which wasn't really a problem since the Dark Lord was killed fourteen years ago(1)-. But considering he was planning to go back fighting in Japan, which was nearly all the way across the world, after he had learnt how to fight with magic, he wasn't concerned with that. However, now that Aizen was also here, manipulating the Ministry for a still unknown reason, Ichigo would have to answer even more questions.

Who is this Riddle person? What was Granger's secret group? Which side will Aizen take? Well knowing the man, he would eventually make both side crumble.

"_Where is hat'n'clog when I need his brain?"_

Ichigo was a fighter, not a thinker. Every time a plan was needed, Urahara or Ishida would take the responsibility to think about it, and Ichigo would be there if,... when things went wrong to literally cut their way through.

But for a plan to go wrong, a plan is needed. And for now, Ichigo was lacking such a plan, and "making something up on the way" was not considered as a plan.

"Did you already forgot the most important information you got during your conversation with Aizen?"

"Zangetsu, either you help me, or not. Don't waste hot air in riddles!"

"**Ya know, wimp, you're kinda dense! Or is it so obvious that ya don't even notice it anymore?"**

"Well, sorry for being... dense, but I have some very disturbing background noises in my head."

"**Come down here, and say that again to the "background noise"'s face!"**

"Shut up, hollow!"

"**Fuck you, HUMAN!"**

Angrily, Ichigo switched off the shower. He was a little high headed because of his minor blood loss. Of course, he had seen worse, but that was in battle situation, and taking a shower was hardly an adrenaline producing activity. He mindlessly took a step to the side, avoiding the falling shower head, and noticed that the soap holder, on which he had laid his wand, had also fallen on the ground. Bending over, allowing one knee to rest on the floor, he picked his wand out of the gutter. The delicate wood was hardly wet, and as Ichigo held it, tip pointing down, a single crimson drop fell.

"One step after an other seems a good plan to me..."

Ichigo hardly heard a faint snicker in the back of his mind. He got up, combed his hair backward with the hand holding his wand, and turned around. After his... conversation with Aizen -because it didn't even register as a fight for Ichigo,- he had come back in the requirement room. Needless to say, he hadn't been feeling sleepy at all. So instead, he had taken his wand out, and summoned more practice targets.

He didn't knew a lot of hado, and the "Kurohitsugi" was the strongest. So he had trained it. Casting one black coffin after an other, stopping just long enough to summon more targets, or protective bands for his arm, but soon enough, as his training wasn't making him progress even the smallest bit, he had stopped caring about casting the Kido at something physical, or about getting hurt, or about the state of the room.

The floor bore countless, more or less deep, cuts and gashes. Every furniture was in pieces spread on the ground. One wall was nearly crumbling and as he stepped out on the shower, Ichigo didn't even had to open the door, because it was already out of his hinges.

And now as it was around six in the morning, Ichigo was tired, exhausted, wounded, but calm enough to spend the day without actually killing someone, or seriously maim, at least. He stepped into the main room, taking care not to set foot on anything sharp, with only a towel around his waist. A few flicks of wand later, a chair and a table was repaired with a first aid kit ready on the latest. Even after having used magic, his left arm still bore many thin cuts and his knuckles were still bleeding a bit, so he decided to let that heal a bit by itself during the day and try again during the evening or the next morning.

He held his wand with his fingertips, and cast the spell. A roll of white band was instantly out of the kit, and immediately began to encircle his bare arm. A few seconds later, and without any further help from Ichigo's part, his left arm was covered, from his shoulder to his fingers, by a white band. Testing if it held correctly, Ichigo flexed his fingers and elbow several time until he was satisfied.

"Good, now next step, talking with Granger without breaking her nose."

-Scene break-

"Granger!"

Preparing for the day had been awfully easy with the help of magic. The only thing needed was the spell's movements and incantations. In a few minutes, Ichigo had his make-up ready, his right arm was covered in ointment, and he was dry and fully clothed. Even if these spell were still usless in battle situation, that was to positive side of the magic.

The negative part of the magic was being in a castle that seemed to possess his own, conscious mind. And while it had been easy to find the Slytherin's common room when Malfoy Junior had been leading him, alone he had lost himself. One full hour of walking up and down moving stairs, passing the same corridor that leads in a different place every time. When Ichigo had finally found the common room, it was nearly past seven, and the first last year's student had already been heading to the breakfast. He had grabbed his stuff, without waking up his comrades, and had followed the seventh year's to the Great Hall.

"Yes,… oh! Good morning Kaien."

At least Granger was still more or less civil with him. Her word were kind, but her tone was cold, and her eyes suspicious. Flanking her, were two other Griffondors, judging by the colours they were wearing. One of them was a redhead, the tallest of the group -but not taller tha Ichigo-, with freckles on his nose. He was looking at Ichigo with distrust, and something akin to anger. His name, well, his name had been used quite a lot of time by Malfoy senior and junior, something like Wheatley, and according to them, the whole family was easily recognisable by their hair.

The other boy was no other than Potter Harry . Normally Ichigo wasn't good with remembering name, but the boy's had been beaten into his head during the summer by mostly everyone including the Daily Prophet. Around the same height as Granger, black hair, round glasses, and a barely visible scar on his forehead. As Granger, he was looking at Ichigo with suspicion but more curious than aggressive.

"Umh, Kaien, this is Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley, -Ichigo nodded briefly at each of them- and boys, this is Kaien Arisawa."

"Nice to meet you." _"Better be polite at least."_

"What do you want, Slytherin?"

"Ron!" Granger exclaimed.

Apparently, the redhead wasn't thinking the same thing.

"Nothing from you Wheatley!"

"The name's Weasley!"

Ichigo was about to retort that his name wasn't 'Slytherin', when Potter intervened.

"Wait, aren't you the one that helped Hermione last December?"

"Yes,... did we meet already?" Ichigo asked, suspicious.

"Yes, well no,... we saw you at the infirmary, but you were unconscious..." Potter answered.

"Well,... Granger..." Ichigo tried to focus on the main purpose of this conversation.

"Weren't your hair... orange back then?"

Ichigo whipped his head around. The one that asked this question was a young witch. Surely a 'Weasley' according to her hair colour ; nearly bright red. And when it already ticked Ichigo off when someone made any comments about his hair, even in a normal situation, he couldn't stand that someone with an equally showy hair colour used that tone in such a comment.

"Yes, got a problem with that?"

Turning his attention back to Granger, he noticed that their meeting was attracting more attention at the minute. Standing right in the way of everybody wasn't helping either.

"Granger, can we talk,... somewhere else?"

"_Damn, I'm not good with apologizes, never was..."_

"Well, I've lessons soon, and the breakfast... what is it about anyway?"

"_Can't goes back now... I just have to expect that Aizen hasn't talk to her yet."_

"It's about what happens during Easter vacation..."

"You were with him during Easter?" Asked Wealsy disbelieving.

"_Is it jealousy I hear in his voice ?" Ichigo mused._

"Ron..."

"You told us you were visiting your parents!"

"I was but..."

"Obviously you weren't!"

And it goes on, Granger explaining how much Weasley and Potter have been getting an her nerves during the tri-wizard tournament. And Weasley questioning every single things she said, being particularly curious about what actually happened. Ichigo was again cursing his damn luck -it was precisely because of that he wanted to talk to Granger without everyone around-, and mustering his willpower not to punch the red-head. That sort of things tended to make people understand they should shut up rather efficiently. It was a quick method and had always worked with Ichigo. Unfortunately if he wanted to properly apologize to Granger, breaking the nose of one of her friend wasn't the best move.

But still, it was itching him so instead;

"SHUT UP WHEATLEY. She can see whoever the hell she wants without asking for your permission first!"

It did startled Weasley as he simply stood staring at Ichigo trying to find a retort.

"Granger,... I over reacted a bit. I know I hurt you but..."

"What did you do, Slytherin?" Yelled Weasley, outraged.

Ichigo turned his head toward the red head just in time to see him shove a hand into his pocket, and taking out a long and thin wooden stick. His wand. In an overly ample motion, he tried to point it to Ichigo's face, red sparkles already spraying out of its tip. The ex soul-reaper just slapped the hand away, emotionless, and was about to seize his own wand when suddenly two persons intervened nearly at the same time.

"RONALD!" The shout comes from Granger as she grabbed her friends arm forcing him to point his wand down.

"Well..." that voice came from behind Ichigo. As he turned around, he saw Crabe and Goyle, pushing people away to make room for Drago Malfoy. "... isn't that the Weasel threatening an other student with his wand."

"_Great, just what I __didn't__ need..."_

"You know that being a prefect don't place you over the rules! Are you alright Kaien?" Asked Malfoy in a neatly done fake concern.

"I'm perfectly fine, thanks. But..."

"You're friend with Malfoy?" Now Potter wasn't looking at Ichigo with curiosity anymore, but with clear distrust.

"None of your concern!"

Ichigo wasn't someone who gave up easily. So in a last attempt he tried to get closer to Granger to finally utter the damn 'I apologize for my behavior.', but Weasley stepped between them.

"Don't get near her, you filthy Death-Eater wannabe."

"ENOUGH Ron! I'm perfectly able to take care of myself! Moreover..."

Granger's tirade was cut by a not so discreet laughter. And all eyes were back on Ichigo.

"Well, Granger, as I can see, you've found some friends as narrow minded as you. Have a nice day."

Ichigo gave her a small bow, and turned away, ignoring everyone, and every calls. Hence he didn't notice a blond haired Ravenclaw girl with big dreamy eyes and a weird necklace, as she was trying to warn him that he had lost a contact lens...

With angry, long steps, he entered the great-hall, and headed straight to the Slytherin's table. Ichigo cast a quick glance at the head table informed Ichigo that Aizen wasn't there yet, which wasn't really good news.

"_**Well that went... smoothly... was a complete disaster of course,... but a smooth disaster."**_

"_Thank you so much,... now shut the hell up!"_

Mindlessly Ichigo proceeded to fill his plate with food, and began to eat.

"_Death Eater..."_

A frightening name taken my men and women who served under the Dark Lord years ago precisely because it was frightening. Most of them have been imprisoned in Azkaban, while a few of them have either been cleared -because they said having been under the imperius curse- or were still on the run. Some of them were more competent than other with magic, but every of them was dreadful mainly because they didn't hesitate to use black magic of even Unforgivables, when Aurors restrained themselves to white magic.

A frightening name for people not so frightening in conclusion. Dangerous, criminal, fanatic, of course. But most of them just used the Dark Lord's power, temporary adopted his ideals, to wreak havoc while wearing mask and without fearing the consequences.

The Dark Lord himself was a Slytherin, like a lot of his followers, and of course nearly every previous dark lords. So when Ichigo has been sorted into the green-and-silver house, he had been immediately categorized into the 'dark wizards' which translate in 'bad guys'. Really? Because they had one or two bad experiences with dark wizards didn't mean that all Slytherins were pathological bloodthirsty homicidal maniacs.

Ichigo sighed again.

"_Bloody great idea!..."_

At this moment Aizen walked into the Great-hall as if he owned the place. Surely enough, Granger was walking next to him, and they seemed to be in the middle of a warm, pleasant, and interesting conversation.

"Thanks for the help back there, Kaien" Drawled Drago Malfow as he sit next to Ichigo.

"Didn't ask for any, Drago!"

The young Malfow scoffed at the double meaning of the answer. He then followed Ichigo's gaze and caught 'Professor' Aizen, clapping gently Granger's shoulder and give her a warm smile. before heading for the head table and the Griffondors sat at her place.

"_I have to get out of this place..."_

"Damned Muggle-lover. I had hoped for something better from the ministry..."

At least Draco didn't like the man, that was a good beginning. More or less. He didn't like him for the wrong reason. But it's still something. Ichigo briefly wondered if Draco would believe him if he was to tell him the truth. However he quickly cast aside the idea. Even wizards seemed to have their limits believing supernatural things. Strange indeed when they were all able to lift any kind of objects with some simple gestures and words and discussed on a daily basis with strange looking spirits, ghosts as they called them.

Finally Aizen took place next to Umbridge and began to talk to her and the other staff members. Since he entered the hall, he didn't even cast a glance at Ichigo, ignoring him completely. The young wizard was sure that Aizen was aware of his presence. He wasn't a captain for nothing, and reiatsu perception should be one of his most honed skills. So Ichigo deduced it was Aizen's way of saying ; "I don't care at all"

The man who swore to kill him, who nearly succeeded once, tried several times, was in the very same room, glaring at him, and Aizen was obviously more interested in his cup of steaming tea.

"By the way..."

Ichigo turned his head towards his neighbours, Malfoy Junior.

"... you got a letter."

Draco was holding him out a simple envelope, with simply the name _Kaien_ on it, written in elegant deep green letters.

"From whom?" Ichigo was king of puzzled. Normally letters were delivered by owl. Moreover, very few people might be likely to write him a letter, and give it to Draco to pass it to him.

"Father."

_-Flashback-_

The mansion was magnificent, the outside, with the garden and small forest as well as the inside. Before dinner, Ichigo had been given a tour around the estate enjoying the calm and beautiful nature around him, but he knew it was only a show off.

As well as the dinner itself. Copious served in silver plates by house-elfes, and mostly silent. Only during the appetizer had his host asked Ichigo the usual polite questions.

And finally when the meal was over, Narcissa announced she would leave them alone to attend to some personal business. So they were sitting, in front of the fireplace, Lucious Malfoy had a glass of fine brandy in hand, and Ichigo, being too young to drink alcohol, was served a cup of tea. After a few more minutes of silence, he decided to break the ice.

"I'm not blind, Lucius."

Malfoy senior just hefted his gaze, looking at Ichigo smugly and waited for his to continue.

"Your house is fine, and the meal was good. I can tell your family must be pretty wealthy and me..." Ichigo pointed to himself. "...I'm just a stranger you picked on the street, and I'm already invited."

Lucius arched a curious eyebrow.

"So?"

"I know where that leads; what do you want from me?"

Malfoy scoffed at the bluntness of the question. He laid his half empty glass on the table before him, leaned a bit deeper into his armchair, crossed his legs and rested both of his hand on his knee.

"My son is an idiot."

Ichigo frowned. This was no answer, or at least not an answer to his question but he decided to play along, hoping that was some sort of introduction.

"Considering my father would call me an idiot too, I'm not sure I'll be able to help you."

"How much do you know about the Dark Lord?"

"_Where is it going?"_

"Not much, like... nearly everyone else. He gathered followers, threw a war, tried to exterminate the muggleborns, and finally been defeated."

His answer was met by a small nod.

"And do you know what the Dark Lord and his followers had in common?"

Ichigo shook his head.

"Their hatred for the muggles and muggleborns."

"I'm a more or less familiar, hatred because they were different..."

"Not quite." Malfoy cut him, "I suppose a lot of things are different in Japan, seeing that your magical community is completely cut off. But the cause should be the same shouldn't it?"

Before continuing, Lucius down what was left of his brandy, and filled himself an other glass.

"The real reason runs within the pureblood family but only a few remember it. We don't hate muggles or muggleborns. The name mudblood itself exist just to make the true reason to disappear faster." He took a deep breath before continuing, "We fear them."

"Fear?"

Well that was different, and unexpected.

"Yes, coming all the way from Middle-age."

"Witch hunting?" Asked Ichigo thoughfully.

"The part that was mostly not known is, it was caused by muggleborn. Pureblood were keeping to themselves away from the muggle. But muggleborns tried to help their relatives and friends, and so, magic was discovered by non magical folks."

"Okay, but witches and wizards that have been captured, escaped. They used a spell to turn fire cold, and apparated away."

Malfoy clucked his tongue and took a sip of brandy.

"Sweet story, told to children. Lies, to cover a dark age for both muggles and wizards. Even if what you tell was true, what would have happened to those unable to perform wand-less magic? Unable to apparate?"

_"**...Burned alive..."**_

Ichigo cringed. Both because of the voice inside of his head, and because of the truth it was saying. Even himself was unable to apparate willingly, and for the wand-less magic, he didn't know.

"But _luckily_ the muggles didn't want to burn innocent people, did they? So they had to make sure, and ask a few _questions._"

"Inquisition." If half of what Ichigo knew about it was true, and if the wizard's history book were fake, wizards back then had had plenty of reasons to hate the muggles.

"That's why we live in secrecy nowadays. And the muggles think that we never existed. Those two facts are the only reason we still exist."

"What do you mean?"

"Most of the wizards think themselves superior to muggles." answered Malfoy shrugging. "Maybe they're right, maybe not. But what I know is that only one person out of a hundred is a wizard. And not every wizard is able to fight or even defend themselves correctly with a wand."

"Are you afraid of a war?" Asked Ichigo, suddenly serious.

"Should a war occur, either wizards win it in the first few days, or we will go extinct. The wand is a powerful weapon, but I'm well aware of the fire-power of the muggle's weapons. And as an educated Japanese, I guess you're also aware of the destruction they can cause."

"_Little boy, and Fat man..."_

In school, they didn't teach any history lessons. So Ichigo had to do his own research. He didn't know how he end up reading a summary of the second world war though. But to think that the muggles would use atomic weapon against wizards...

"You're exaggerating Lucius."

"Am I? How would muggles fight, against people that can summon fire and thunder, kill with two words, and rise the deads? Will they not fear for their very existence? And preserve it whatever the cost?"

"What does it have to do with your son?"

"My son Drago, despise everything even remotely linked to muggles. Out of reason. He is blinded by that hatred, and I fear that'll cost him greatly in the near future."

"So?"

"You come from a foreign country, and you'll go to Hogwarts in September aren't you? I'd like to ask you to try to talk him out of it."

"And why will he listen to me?"

"Well..."

And after that they erected a small cover story about Ichigo coming from Japan and being part of a Pureblood family somewhat close to the Malfoy's. Drago would trust his father on it. And during the summer some more dinners were planned to introduce the two teens to each other. To be franc at the first glance Ichigo dislike the boy. His high and mighty attitude and his too noble tone. But he still accepted to make friend with him. The boy's belief seemed fragile, and maybe Ichigo will be able to change Drago's attitude.

-Flashback end-

"You had quite an appetite."

Ichigo's eyes left the letter and looked at the table. More that a half-dozen of empty plates were laying in front of him.

"Well, yes"

Ichigo pocketed the letter, cast a last glance at Aizen who was still ignoring him, and made his way out of the Great-hall.

"See you in class, Drago."

And with that, Ichigo began to walk to the aviary.

-Scene break-

"_Obviously Dad is out of question. As well as Hat'n'clog, Orihime, Ishida, and Sado. I don't want to test my luck with Yoruichi or Tessai, -they're not really alive so... who knows-."_

Perched on Ichigo's shoulder was the biggest owl he could find in the aviary. He didn't know anything about birds so he took one who seemed able to travel such a long distance. And in his hand, a letter. There was only one sentence written ; /_The fifth division's ex-captain is plotting something in Great Britain./ _There was enough informations to be understandable to anyone involved. He didn't want to add anything else about wizards, out of fear of not being taken seriously. But he trusted the Soul-society to discover a secret society if they were searching for the traitors.

The only problem left was; who would Ichigo send this letter to? If their was even a slight chance that his letter would be read by someone else, the ministry for example, Ichigo had to think about his own safety. If he send his letter to anyone present in the fateful article(cf 'Cup of tea'), his cover would blow in a matter of minutes. As it was already dangerous enough to send a letter to Karakura when Ichigo had claimed to be from Tokyo.

Finally, as Ichigo's headache was becoming unbearable, he decided to send the letter to Chizuru Honshō, and to add /_Give this letter to your 'Hime'_/, hoping she would actually give it to Orihime. When he was ready to send the letter, a small owl landed on his free shoulder, holding out a small parchment. Frowning, Ichigo took it, and opened it. And his bad feeling was confirmed when he read the lone sentence;

/_Having problems warning the Gotei, Ryoka-kun?/_

A sudden burst of reiatsu scared the two owls away, and caused a great deal of angry hootings. The piece of paper Ichigo was holding was torn into shreds by black tendrils of reiatsu and his fingertips began to bleed from several cuts.

/Great!/

Aizen must have tracked him by his reiatsu. The bastard seemed to have a nearly complete control over Hogwarts, and if he also controlled the Ministry he should have no problem intercepting the letter Ichigo was about to send.

Sighting and thinking quickly, Ichigo sent the letter anyway, after having calmed the owl. There was nearly no chance that Chizuru would receive it. But Ichigo resigned himself of using an other method, hoping Aizen would have little to no control over it. He took an other letter out of one of his inside pocket.

Lucious Malfoy was rich, and would surely have a way to send some personal letters without having to fear about the confidentiality.

_Kaien_

_Your upstanding performance at you evaluation with the Headmaster has attracted the attention of influential persons._

_Hence, I've arranged a meeting between you and them._

_This letter is a portkey that will activate itself on this Saturday at 8pm. It will lead you directly into my mansion. Don't worry about your return to the castle, something has already been planned. Drago had been informed of your departure, but be sure to be alone at that moment._

_Regards._

_Lucious Malfoy_

Brief, with little informations and nearly no emotions. Ichigo wasn't expecting anything else coming from Malfoy senior, but was enough to pick his interest. Maybe he would be able to find some more 'allies' in the wizarding community.

* * *

Sorry everyone, it's been a while I know, I had some problem with my computer, and then exams...

But I'm back!

1: Only a few people believe Voldemort is back, Ichigo is not part of them, but have his doubts.


	15. Allies?

I don't own Bleach or HP.

Speech convention:

"Normal"

_"Thinking"_

"(Tensa)Zangetsu" Sometime I underline some word in a phrase, it's not the zanpakuto, it's to emphasize this very word.

**"Hollow"**

**"Hollowed Ichigo"**

/Foreign language(Japanese in England, English in Japan) when speaking out loud/

R&R&Enjoy!

And now, just before I let you begin, a great thanks to Datenshii, the beta reader of the story, who is helping me

* * *

**Allies?**

The week had been long. Even longer for Ichigo than the others. Umbridge and her educational decrees were hated by almost everyone -Filch was one of the exceptions-. And for every point Umbridge lost in front of the students or professors, Aizen won them for himself. Luckily, he had been present for barely half of the meals, and Ichigo only had had one course with him. Good point Ichigo hadn't been forced to suffer Aizen's presence. Bad point, he still wasn't aware of the traitor's plan, and still had no idea where Gin and Tousen could be.

During the courses, Ichigo wasn't really listening. After all, he didn't intend to pass the exams at the end of the year, the OWLs. Instead he was discreetly reading books... and taking note of every interesting, and useful spell he could find. At his arrival, he was hoping to get a few war-related spell books in the library, at least one. Instead he had to settle for some old versions of manuals he already had and randomly picked ones.

The 'restricted section' of the library, that's the place Ichigo would want to search. But without authorisation, he couldn't enter. And without a plausible reason, he couldn't ask for an authorisation.

So every evening, after supper, he would go to the requirement room, test the few noteworthy spells, get disappointed, and start over his kido and physical training, until he was tired enough to sleep. As he still got issues controlling the amount of reiatsu to use when casting a kido, -either it was too much, and part of it would backfire, or too little and produce no effect- the best moment of the week was when he used 'Reducto'.

-Flashback-

"With this powerful curse, skilled wizards can easily reduce obstacles to pieces..."

The last spell Ichigo was about to test was a curse named 'Reducto'. As usual, the description was appealing, but he had learned not to get too hopeful, and that his magic still had a long way to go to be on level with his Hado. He closed his eyes for a second, asking to the room to materialize a target and to give him a high ceiling.

Sure enough, the room changed, becoming bigger, and providing a tall stone pillar. If the curse's description was accurate, one must take great care using the spell in confined spaces. And the last thing Ichigo wanted was for the ceiling to come crashing down on his head.

The young wizard eyed the pillar for a moment, before casting a glance at his wand.

"Just, give it a wave..."

He pointed the stick at the pillar, and said with a determined voice:

"Reducto!"

A bolt of bright blue energy shot from the tips on the wand, and flew in a straight line to the pillar. At the moment the magic touched the stone, without any sound, the target was turned into tiny gravels, flying everywhere. Thunderstruck, Ichigo remained motionless for several seconds. Looking right and left, he took note of the spell's damage.

"That's a beginning..."

A faint smirk had taken place on Ichigo's lips.

-Flashback End-

A beginning indeed, but nothing more for now. Of course the spell was useful to destroy massive objects, or blast a way in a thick wall. However, Ichigo wasn't sure of its effect on an arrancar or a shinigami, -and of course, the requirement room hadn't been able to provide such test subjects-.

And his week's worst moment, arguably, had been provided by a certain Luna Lovegood.

-Flashback-

It was Tuesday evening, right before supper. Ichigo had suffered from a light headache the whole day and wanted just one thing, rest. He wasn't really hungry, but he didn't know if it was possible to summon food in the requirement room so he was about to eat a bit, and save the leftover for later that night. He was heading for the Green-and-silver table, and everything would have gone smoothly if a young Ravenclaw girl hadn't planted herself right before him.

"You're Kaien Arisawa, right?"

Ichigo stopped right in his tracks, and looked, surprised, at the person who had just appeared right in front of him.

"Yes, and you are...?"

"Luna Lovegood, nice to meet you. I'm glad you've found your lens?"

"Lens...? I'm not wearing lenses..."

Luna bent forth a bit, and added, whispering.

"You're a … werewolf, aren't you?"

Ichigo's eyes widened a bit before reigning in his surprise.

_"Werewolf? Where does that come from?"_

Ichigo tilted his head slightly to the side, frowning, and waiting for Luna to continue, or justify her thinking. But nothing came, the girl just kept on looking at him in the eyes. And Ichigo got the feeling, after a few seconds, that she wasn't actually looking at him, but rather beyond him. Losing his patience, he asked.

"Where did you get that idea?"

Lovegood blinked and her eyes refocused on Ichigo.

"Maybe you're a different sort of were-animal. Or I know several other mystical creatures that have yellow irises, for example..."

At that point Ichigo had already stopped listening, so he didn't hear the name of a creature known only by the Lovegoods. Trying to stay as calm as possible, he uttered a small apology, unconsciously in japanese, and left the Great Hall in a hurry.

"He's strange, don't you think Ginny?" asked Luna turning to her friend.

"...yeah," She answered briefly after a little hesitation while thinking;

_"What's the strangest thing? Luna asking a random stranger if he's a werewolf, or me thinking it's normal for her to do that?"_

-Flashback End-

Yellow irises. That had nothing to do with werewolves or any 'magical' creatures. It was That. Ichigo was fighting against That as hard as he could, but It still succeeded in slowly gaining over him. First the red mark across his eye, and now the iris, what will it be next, the mask? And what if he lost control in Hogwarts?

However, now his irises were back to normal, -well the normal blue,- like every time he had looked at himself in the mirror since then.

It was Saturday evening, 7.40pm, and Ichigo was almost ready. Fully clothed, his wand in a holster clasped around his leg, and a letter in in pocket. He closed his book with a sigh, left it on a table, and got up. He briefly nodded at Draco who was looking at him, before heading for the dormitory. As expected, he was alone there. He held the letter and waited. At 8pm precisely, he felt himself being absorbed by the letter, pulled by his navel.

The sensation was unsettling and uncomfortable but not unknown to Ichigo as he already used portkeys several times. So when the world stopped spinning and the colours stopped flashing, even if he was feeling a bit light-headed, Ichigo kept his balance and didn't fall on the ground like the first time.

"Kaien."

Ichigo turned around and look as his surroundings. He was in the lobby of Malfoy's mansion, richly decorated, and right in front of him stood Lucius Malfoy. None of this surprised Ichigo as it was precisely what the letter had told him.

"Lucius."

His right arm still paralysed, Ichigo bowed his head slightly, a gesture mimicked by Malfoy senior. The man was, as usual, nobly clothed, his cane decorated with a silver snake head, but he looked tired. Unshaved, heavy bags below his eyes, and slightly messy hair.

"They are in the dinning room, follow me."

Ichigo followed suit as the elder Malfoy climbed the stairs. The first thing he noticed was the absence of Narcissa and the house elves. More than empty, the mansion felt silent, still, a sensation one can only get by using other means than one's five senses.

At each step, Ichigo was able to pinpoint more precisely the spiritual pressures in the house. In Hogwarts, there was a heavy 'magical' pressure acting like a screen, hindering Ichigo's perception. Malfoy's mansion, also being a heavily magically protected place, with a long history of powerful wizards inhabiting it, had a magical pressure, but less oppressive than Hogwarts'.

Between fifteen and twenty spiritual pressures belonging to wizards, one way more powerful that the other, located in the dinning room, this coarse approximation was the best Ichigo could do. But it felt something else, very, very discreet, nearly indiscernible but still present, sending shivers along Ichigo's back. It felt like being watched by a venomous snake, ready to strike at any moment, digging its fangs in Ichigo's neck.

"They?" The young wizard asked his host, trying to shake off this insidious feeling.

"You'll see soon enough," answered Malfoy as he stopped in front of a closed door, the door to the dinning room. "Well, Kaien,... I know your temper, so... try to stay calm and keep your voice down."

Ichigo frowned deeper.

"I don't like it, Lucius, not at all"

"Do you trust me?"

Ichigo remained silent for several seconds. The answer wasn't as simple as that. Yes, no, both were right, and Lucius already knew that fact.

"Is it about Draco?"

"Yes, of course. Listen, Kaien. You're competent, smart, and more open-minded that my son..."

"And less important in your eyes, I get it. Let's get this over with." Ichigo finished, bored as he motioned toward the door.

Malfoy let a heavy sigh escape before he opened the double door. Normally, the huge table was occupied by four people at most, now, under a dim lighting, there were seventeen people. Two rows of nine chairs, with two empty chairs on the left row, and a strange man who immediately got all of Ichigo's attention. Bold, his skin a pale shade of green, vibrant red irises, his nose reduced to two slits, he was looking at Ichigo with a sick lipless smile. And coiled around his chair and shoulders, a giant snake was hissing.

The man seemed to also hiss at the serpent before speaking out loud.

"Well, you must be Kaien, our new..." his smile widened, showing teeth a bit too white "..recruit."

Ichigo felt sick under this man gaze. He staggered a bit as his head began to hurt. The man's smile flattened a bit, and his eyes narrowed. But he didn't blinked, as though he didn't have to. Suddenly, Ichigo felt a stirring in his mind, followed by an insane crackle resonating in his skull. Before he could react, his reiatsu flared up. A reiatsu filled with bloodlust and violence, his hollow reiatsu. He didn't miss the man's surprised and irritated expression, but he focused his mind into pulling out another part of his reiatsu. The calm, calculating and determined part, which symbolized his zanpakuto, his shinigami's power. Not to use it, but to balance his hollow influence, warping around it and pushing it down.

His hollow seemed to fight for a while as Tensa Zangetsu didn't react at all. Ichigo was half waiting for a black daito to appear in his right hand like last time, but nothing happened. And finally his spiritual pressure regained a 'normal' level after several seconds. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked right and left, copiously ignoring the other guests. He search for a reaction, on Malfoy's face and behaviour, a clue that the man felt something, but he found none. Ichigo then turned his eyes back to the snake-man. He looked irritated and interested at the same time, and his snake was hissing more loudly now.

"And,... you are?"

A general gasp followed Ichigo's question. Horrified faces glared at him as if he was from an other planet, before turning to the head of the table. Everybody but one. A middle-aged woman, with dark fuzzy hair, and eyes, holding a mad spark in them, was staring at Ichigo with anger and hate as she got up.

"How dare you?"

Her tone immediately put Ichigo on the edge. He already had his hand on his wand, but the stick was still in its holster, not to look too unfriendly. And unfortunately, the witch had apparently been holding her wand below the table, ready to point it at anyone in the blink of an eye. So even with his stunning reflexes, and speed, the witch started with a too great head-start. He was just about to fire a stunning spell, -he didn't want to show hado to wizards, that would only arouse even more questions- as the witch's spell hit his wand making it fly from his hand, cutting his arm, and blowing his sleeve away in the process.

Not caring about his blood dripping on the floor, Ichigo threw himself at his foe, only to fall on the floor after only two steps. He barely avoided hitting the ground with his head by lifting his arm before his face. But he couldn't get up. It felt like he was under Byakuya's bankai again, being cut be countless blades. He tried to put the pain aside, focusing on the fight, something that have worked during all his battle. But this time, his body continued to flinch uncontrollably, and he had to clench his teeth together to prevent himself from shouting.

"How dare you, you filthy scum? How dare you disrespect the Dark Lord in such a way?"

His vision was blurry from pain, anger and tears, but Ichigo still noticed the crazy witch coming nearer still throwing insults at him. As she stopped right before him, still shouting, Ichigo didn't even have to think of what he was about to do. Gathering his strength, he lifted his fist and bring it down. He felt and heard bones breaking as his fist crashed down on the witch's foot. She let out a scream of pain, and the spell's effect disappeared as she either stopped concentrating on it, or pointing her wand to her victim.

Still shaking a bit from the remnant of the pain, Ichigo took the opportunity to get up, sending a powerful punch to his opponent's guts. She doubled over and backed away just before Ichigo could grab her throat, his fingers clenching thin air. Coughing, she cast a purple wordless spell, followed by a silver coloured one. Ichigo side stepped the first one, and ducked under the second. She didn't have the time to cast a third as Ichigo was now near enough to deliver a expertly aimed kick to her wrist, making her let go of her wand in a hiss of rage.

Even weapon-less, she didn't quit and tried to claw Ichigo's face with her left, unhurt, hand. Unfortunately for her, hand-to-hand combat was one of Ichigo's strongest skill. At Karakura he had to deal with dangerous bands of thugs, so a single psychotic and untrained witch didn't stand a chance. He bated away her hand as if it was a simple fly, and finally succeed in grabbing her throat. Ichigo squeezed it, and lifted her from the floor. He intended to make her pass out from lack of oxygen. It was the less dangerous way to put her down-and-out, as he didn't know how many time he would have to hit her to knock her out, and it was possible to leave permanent sequelas

Of course the witch kept on struggling, digging her nails in Ichigo's arm and hand, but he didn't let go until she decided to kick him. Making frantic movements with her feet, she finally succeed in hitting Ichigo, on his right arm. Groaning in pain, he let her fall on the floor, instinctively clenched his wounded arm, sending more pain signals to his brain. However she wasn't in any better shape as she fell on her broken foot and stumbled on the floor.

"So you want to play it the hard way? Fine by me!" Growled Ichigo as he neared her aggressively.

/Yare, yare, energetic as usual, aren't ya?/

* * *

Cliffhanger!  
I know you love them.  
See you soon!


End file.
